


Partners

by Texan_Red_Rose



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Eventual Smut, Fluff, Multi, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-23
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-10 14:03:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 89,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7847932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Texan_Red_Rose/pseuds/Texan_Red_Rose
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yang always felt that part of being a good partner- no matter the kind of relationship- involved being heavily invested in her partner's present state of mind. The fact that it wasn't always easy kinda sucked, though. [Bee's Schnee]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Phase One

**Author's Note:**

> This whole thing was initially written with the intent of 'one-sided bumbleBY, Yangst, endgame Monochrome'. It did not end up that way. Strays from canon shortly after the V2 food fight.

Yang always felt that part of being a good partner- no matter the kind of relationship- involved being heavily invested in her partner's present state of mind. It was her job to be a cheerleader, a Drill Sergeant, a mother, a shoulder to cry on, or supportive, depending on the situation. That was a given.

The fact that it wasn't always easy kinda sucked, though.

"Hey, Blakey, why the long face?" She slid onto the bench beside her partner, wide grin in place despite being nearly ninety percent certain she already had the answer.

Sure enough, when amber eyes hesitantly met hers, she was proven correct. "Just... the usual."

"The little Ice Queen giving you a hard time again, huh?" She wrapped a supportive arm around the Faunus' shoulders, lowering her voice and casting a cursory glance around. They were alone in one of the many gardens surrounding Beacon, the twilight driving most people either to their beds for an early night or to the sanctuary of the library for a mid week study session. If she had to guess, her sister and other teammate were in the latter, especially given Weiss' tendency to study _way_ more than the woman obviously needed. She might not admit it to the prissy heiress' face, but the shorter woman _was_ ridiculously well read. "What happened this time?"

"She didn't _do_ anything, Yang. I just- I was going to tell her, and then..." Blake shrugged, leaning into the blonde's side and setting her head against Yang's shoulder. "I can't."

"Oh, don't be like that, Blakey!" She cajoled, glancing at the bow the Faunus insisted on wearing despite the rest of her team being more than aware of her heritage. Jeez, _that_ was one heck of a fiasco, but everyone made up and they were playing nice for a while after.

Until Yang noticed not all was right with Blake. It had taken _weeks_ to coax the truth out of the quiet Faunus, but eventually Blake fessed up: she'd developed a bit of a crush during their time at Beacon, aimed directly at the one person she viewed as entirely unattainable: Weiss Schnee.

Of course, this revelation was a bit... jarring, but for all the wrong reasons. That Blake, a Faunus, was crushing hard on Weiss, who up until recently had been a bit of a... well, fantastically racist jerk in regards to the Faunus, that _should_ have been the part to throw Yang for a loop. But, nope. It was realizing that the blonde had to bury her own feelings that had brought the biggest smack in the face to Yang.

But she was _totally_ handling it like a boss.

"She said she didn't care, remember?" Yang started gently running her fingers through raven black tresses, careful not to get too close to the special little black bow. "If you want to be honest with her, then you should go for it, see if she can put her money where her pretty little mouth is."

It was something of a double whammy for the blonde, really. Yeah, she had developed a bit of a crush on tall, dark, and mysterious currently humming thoughtfully at her side, but she _also_ had developed a bit of a crush on short, loud, and moody, too. It wasn't entirely ridiculous- these were two of the people she spent the most time around who _weren't_ related to her, after all, and she'd long ago discarded the concept of giving much of a damn about social norms and what was between a person's legs- but Blake and Weiss appealed to two very different sides of her rather expansive personal tastes.

Blake was committed, strong willed, calm, and deadly when she was in her element. Taken out of it, she was nervous, skittish, and vulnerable. Yang liked having someone she could rely on to essentially pop out of the nearest shadow whenever her anger blinded her, just to watch her back; at the same time, she liked being able to soothe away the Faunus' doubts and fears, gently pulling her back to her feet.

Weiss was... different. She was confrontational, headstrong, loud, and precision lethality. But, the shorter woman was also her own biggest critic, pushing herself to attain something that was impossible, and pulling everyone else along with her. Yang liked that Weiss would have a reply for anything the blonde said and would match her verbally where she couldn't physically; of course, she also liked chiding the shorter woman about obsessing over things and forcing her to step back and relax.

Both of them were smart about some things and dumb about others, graceful with their slim weapons in hand and complete klutz while distracted, unable to escape their pasts no matter how they tried and that sort of pain was _exactly_ what Yang wanted to burn away with gentle caresses and fiery kisses. They were as different as red and white wine and the blonde wanted to drink from both cups.

Her own internal monologue was straying towards the ridiculously sappy, a side effect of sneaking those 'romance' books Blake kept tucked away to try and get a better handle on the situation.

(Fun fact: _they weren't helping._ )

"Yang, what if it's not that simple?" The Faunus drew back, amber eyes brimming with unshed tears. "What if... what if _I_ am the reason..."

They hadn't talked about it, not properly. After finding Blake at the docks and becoming a team once more, all four of them had consciously avoided mentioning anything even related to the White Fang. It just seemed... safer. But, when Yang pestered the Faunus about why she couldn't own up to her crush, the story had tumbled out too quickly for either of them to stop, leading to a horrible conclusion, one neither of them could really prove or disprove.

Weiss never explained how she got the scar marring her otherwise perfect, pale features; she never clarified what she considered a 'difficult childhood' to be. Somehow, Blake had arrived at the theory that the heiress might've received the scar in a fit of her father's rage while ranting about a very specific loss of Dust cargo from a train. Yang doubted it- either because she had such a good relationship with her own father that the very idea seemed ridiculous or because she just had a gut instinct that said it wasn't true, she couldn't be sure- but Blake's rather poor opinion of any Schnee she _wasn't_ romantically interested in spoke for itself. The only way they could get any closure on the issue would be to ask Weiss or for Blake to recount her final mission as a Faunus of the White Fang.

The former had the potential to upset the woman, which neither Yang nor Blake wanted to do, because it had hurt them both to hear the genuine anguish in her voice from that night. It wasn't something either of them wanted to repeat... for the exact same reason.

"Look, Blakey, you're just going to drive yourself up the wall until you tell her, but I'd give her the benefit of the doubt." The blonde gently nudged her partner. "Every time you take off your bow, she doesn't flip her lid or anything, so that's _got_ to be a good sign, right? _And_ I told you that, in the entire time you were gone, she never _once_ blamed you or lumped you in with the other White Fang explicitly."

"I deem 'explicitly' a worrying qualifier, Yang." The Faunus mumbled.

They'd been through this particular song and dance a hundred times before, though, so instead the blonde cut straight to the chase. "So, what have you got to lose?"

"A lot, Yang." The Faunus sighed, blinking away her tears and offering a weak smile as she marshaled her courage. "But I'll still have you, right?"

"Of course!" She pulled Blake into a hug, wrapping both arms around the her and careful not to squeeze _too_ hard. "You aren't getting rid of me that easily, partner." Even if it killed her on the inside, the blonde was determined to help Blake get the girl. That's what a good partner was _supposed_ to do. "Say, there's a carnival this weekend. How about we bug Ice Queen and Rubes into going? Team bonding crap, Rubes'll go nuts for it. _Then_ you can tell her about the whole train thing."

With her head so close to the blonde's chin, it didn't take much movement from those hidden cat ears to lightly smack Yang's jaw. "How, exactly, is a noisy carnival going to help my situation in _any_ way? Should I wait until we're getting our faces painted or until after the bouncy house?"

"Oh, come on, it's perfect! And don't diss the bouncy houses; Ruby still loves 'em." She pulled away just enough to catch that beautiful amber gaze. "All you gotta do is hang out together, remind _her_ how absolutely awesome _you_ are, and then you can tell her how sacrificing the cargo was the only way to save the crew! She _can't_ be mad about that! Heck, a story like that could melt _anyone's_ heart, even our resident Ice Queen's!"

Blake rolled her eyes but nodded slightly. "You really think so?"

"Like I said, you've got nothing to worry about." Yang gave her biggest smile. "Either she'll see how amazing you are and ask you out then and there or she's irredeemably straight and you never stood a chance anyway." She winked. "No matter what, come next week, you won't be beating yourself up over a crush."

Blake shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "Irredeemably straight?"

Yang pursed her lips together and then nodded her head resolutely. "Yup." She pulled away slightly to strike a pose, jerking a thumb against herself. "Anyone _not_ attracted to me _must_ be irredeemable! There's laws about this stuff, ya know."

The Faunus laughed, lightly whacking her arm while standing up. "Let's go, Yang. We can start trying to convince those two to come along. They're probably done with studying by now."

"Alright." She stood up, patting Blake's shoulder. "Let's go set up your secret date!"

Amber eyes rolled but a blush rose in Blake's cheeks all the same, turning Yang's smile a thousand watts brighter.

It didn't matter how much it hurt, she was going to be the _best_ partner ever.

* * *

Thursday night saw all four members of team RWBY in their dorm room. Ruby was nose deep in her Grimm Studies book, Weiss was working on an essay that wasn't due for another week, Blake was busy with some... personal reading material, and Yang was planning her avenue of attack. They'd brought up the carnival and, while Weiss had seemed lukewarm to the idea, Ruby had jumped on board immediately. While she absolutely adored her baby sis, this whole plan had a very specific endgame in mind, so she'd need to pull out _all_ the stops.

Biding her time, the blonde pretended to be absorbed in her History book while watching the shorter woman out of the corner of her eye. Eventually, Weiss would lean back and roll her neck, an obvious sign she'd completed whatever paragraph she was working on and needed to regroup her thoughts before continuing. She needed to catch her teammate's attention at a moment when she would be most receptive to hearing whatever Yang had to say and the middle of a sentence was _not_ that moment.

After only a few more minutes, Weiss took the break the blonde was waiting for, and she instantly jumped at the chance.

"Hey, Weiss, do you have a minute?"

Blue eyes danced across her page before shifting to meet lilac. "I suppose."

Hopping down from her bunk, Yang carried her book over and pointed to a specific paragraph. "I'm having some trouble with the homework- the Mistralian Trade Agreement thing. I just don't, like, _get it_ , ya know?"

Although she rolled her eyes, Weiss accepted the book, beckoning her down so they could read it side-by-side. With ease, she summarized the MTA's purpose and historical impact and Yang silently thanked her lucky stars for just such an assignment. If there was one thing that put the heiress directly in her zone, it was talking business policies.

"Okay, so, they basically just made a Remnant-wide standard that everyone could agree on?"

"Basically." Weiss flashed her a small smirk. "And now that I've explained it, let's hear your undoubtedly stunning logic for going to the carnival."

"You wound me, Weiss." She dramatically clutched a hand to her breast, feigning hurt. "Can't I ask one of my esteemed teammates for assistance without suspicion of an ulterior motive?"

In a second, the proverbial Ice Queen mask was firmly in place, those pouty lips drawn into a firm line. "No."

The blonde sighed, shaking her head. "Well, because I _respect_ you far too much to let you be utterly wrong in this particular instance, I guess I'll have to think of something real quick!" She cocked her head to the side. "Just don't hold it against me if it's not quite up to your standards, Princess; I really wasn't expecting to be put on the spot like this."

"Oh, please," Weiss replied, rolling her eyes. "You absolutely _thrive_ in the spotlight."

"Guilty as charged." She winked, earning a shake of the shorter woman's head for her troubles while putting a finger to her chin. "Now, let's see. I _guess_ the best excuse I can come up with is that, seeing we're _all_ ahead in our classes, we deserve to take a break and hang out as the _bosom_ buddies we are!"

Her smirk grew a little wider when blue eyes darted briefly to her considerable bust, firmly setting another tick in the 'at least bi' category. Weiss realized a moment too late that her brief distraction didn't go entirely unobserved, glowering at her briefly before looking anywhere else.

"Well, you _have_ been abnormally studious as of late, though I fear that if I agree, you'll assume you're enough into my good graces to start slacking off again." She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm not entirely sure I should encourage such manipulative behavior."

The blonde chuckled, so very tempted to take the obvious bait but instead crouched down until she was looking up at the seated heiress. She might never say so out loud but Yang got the distinct feeling that Weiss _really_ liked being able to look down at someone who usually towered over her. Not to say she had a height complex or something; just that the way those blue eyes were glimmering spoke of an amusement that Yang was all too happy to provide.

"Aw, come on, Weiss, don't be like that! I started really applying myself before I even heard about the carnival!" She flashed that brilliant smile she was so well known for and tilted her head. "Besides, maybe I'm trying to better myself for my team and this'll just be positive reinforcement for getting good marks!"

"Well, I can't very well check the veracity of that claim, now can I?" Weiss huffed, reluctantly nodding along. "Okay, fine, I'll go to the carnival, too. Happy?"

"Heck yeah!" Yang shot up, doing a little victory dance in the middle of the room. "We're going to have a blast this weekend! Friday night and all Saturday, and then Sunday will be relax and study day!"

Weiss blinked in surprise, leaning around Yang so she could look at Blake. "Study day?"

The Faunus shrugged, ears far too rigid to be entirely comfortable, something she did subconsciously whenever the heiress looked her way. "I thought it might be a good idea to set aside some time for us to study together."

"We do have that test in Grimm Studies next week." The heiress noted absently, flashing a small smile at Blake. "Thank you for talking some sense into her."

Yang finished her little dance, shrugging off the subtle dig and clambering back into her bed, textbook in hand. Before she could start trying to actually read anything- she was actually being serious about buckling down on her schoolwork; the carnival was just a happy coincidence- the conversation below continued.

"By the way, is everything... okay?" Weiss' voice had taken on that uncertain quality, as it always did whenever she was trying to talk about something personal.

"Of course. Why?" And there was Blake, being smooth and pretending like she wasn't a hair's breadth away from turning into a stuttering mess.

Honestly, Yang really liked that about her; unless someone spent an inordinate amount of time studying the Faunus- in this scenario, Yang- it was hard to tell when she was being genuinely disinterested or just masking her nerves with the front.

"It's just that, well, I've noticed you usually rotate your ears whenever you first remove your bow, so I had... perhaps incorrectly assumed that it was painful to keep them still for too long." A sure sign of a flustered heiress was the slip into an overly formal tone, like the one she was currently using. The blonde only regretted retreating to her bed so soon; flustered Weiss was best Weiss, in her opinion. "I was merely concerned that something had occurred, seeing as you didn't do that today."

Oh, right, Yang had drug Blake along with her to the library to grab some books for class, allowing Ruby and Weiss to beat them to the room. She'd noticed the same thing, of course, but, with the whole 'Weiss being here before us' thing, had expected as much from the Faunus.

"Oh. I, uh, didn't notice." Lying Blake was worst Blake, in Yang's opinion. Not just because she didn't like insincerity as a whole but also because Blake looked _extremely_ uncomfortable while lying, to the trained eye. "They do get a bit... stiff, though. Moving them usually... attracts attention."

"Well, in the privacy of our room, you're allowed to attract all the attention you want. I hope you're aware of that."

The blonde could hear the smile in Blake's voice. "Right."

An easy silence enveloped the room and Yang allowed her lilac eyes to stray from the page she admittedly hadn't been trying too hard to read, looking across to her sister. It belatedly occurred to her that their esteemed team leader hadn't immediately joined her in celebration upon Weiss agreement to their weekend plans. She started looking around for something small to chuck over there when Weiss spoke up.

"Yang, don't you dare even _think_ about it." She narrowed her blue eyes. "She's asleep."

The blonde raised a brow and grinned. "Are you _sure_?"

" _Absolutely_." She gestured up towards their team leader's bunk. "I practically live under this swinging deathtrap, remember?"

"Okay, fine, I'll be boring." Yang shrugged, turning her attention back to the text. She was actually being very truthful about buckling down on her studying habits; with Blake so close to screwing her courage to the sticking place, she wanted to do everything in her power to provide as few distractions and obstacles as possible. So what if that meant giving up her otherwise fun off time for reading some boring crap she probably will forget by next year anyway? If it made things easier for Blake and Weiss, it was hardly a sacrifice.

* * *

Friday afternoon, classes over, and the four members of Team RWBY were heading to the carnival. Oh, sure, Weiss put up a few last minute complaints, which were rather ineffective seeing as she voiced them while changing into her casual attire, and Ruby practically spent the whole day brimming with energy just trying to get through classes but, hey, that was part of the fun! The moment they stepped onto the street lined with booths and gimmicky little rides, Yang could tell that her plan was going to go off purrfectly for her partner!

Of course, she would need to stay close and observe, just to make sure things didn't crash and burn prematurely. There were a fair number of their classmates also at the carnival, too, so she'd need to ensure none of them accidentally ticked off Weiss or discouraged Blake. Oh, and keep Ruby from getting all weird and curious and- wait, where was her sister?

"Uh, Rubes?" The blonde looked around, trying to spot either the telltale cloak she always wore or those little rose petals she left behind, neither of which caught her sight. "Where'd she go?"

"That's odd." Weiss frowned. "I thought she wanted this to be a team bonding excursion."

Thinking fast, Yang recognized the opportunity when it presented itself and immediately latched onto it. "She probably just saw something she liked. Tell you two what, I'll go find her real quick and we'll meet you, uh, over there!" Both of her teammates acknowledged the rendezvous point, between two food shacks that were emitting some rather delicious scents, which meant awesome food, which would be excellent after a little time spent 'looking' for her sister. "Feel free to look around a little! Oh, and find us a game to play when I drag our illustrious leader back!"

If there was one thing that brought them together, it was friendly competition. Plus, some of the plush prizes were kinda cute.

With a little wave, the blonde started weaving between people, pretending to look for the tiny terror that was her sister on a mission. Once she felt like the other two weren't looking, Yang doubled back, slumping her shoulders so she wouldn't be as easily seen in the crowd. A flash of white hair tipped her off to the location of her two targets and she did her best to stay by the edge of a particular large booth, peeking around the corner to spy on Weiss and Blake.

Currently, the duo were observing some other people throwing darts at balloon and talking, though Yang wasn't close enough to make out the conversation. Their postures, on the other hand, were easily read: relaxed but a bit awkward, turned towards each other. Whatever they were talking about, it was going pretty well, but they were starting to get nervous. This was probably one of, if not the, first solo, one-on-one conversations the two had engaged in since the drama bomb exploded and were just now realizing it.

Yang had predicted this might happen and she'd coached Blake through several foolproof icebreakers. All her partner had to do was capitalize on the moment, steer the conversation towards subject she excelled at, and drop a few lines in just the right places.

"Come on, Blakey, you got this!" Yang muttered to herself, noting the slight twitch of the Faunus' bow.

The tension that was formerly locking up her shoulders slowly ebbed away, amber eyes glancing towards the blonde's hiding spot very briefly as her lips curled into a small smile. That's right, wingwoman Yang was on the case, no need to worry. She had a handle on this. Then Blake said something to Weiss and the woman locked up completely.

Uh oh.

The blonde could see it clearly: Blake was already starting a tactical retreat, opening her mouth to apologize or make some sort of excuse, when the weirdest thing happened.

Weiss laughed. She immediately tried to stifle it with a hand flying to her mouth, of course, but the sound was initially loud enough that even Yang heard it, her lips tugging into a dopey smile. She really wished the shorter woman would laugh more often; it was a really pretty sound! Blake obviously liked it, saying something and ducking her head to hide her own dopey grin. A gentle hand on her arm, just below the armband the Faunus always wore, brought their gazes together again, smiling at each other as all the awkward tension slid away.

Yang wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh or cry. On the one hand, stage one success! Her two teammates were talking now, smiling and chuckling, motioning towards whatever caught their fancy, and they looked so damn happy together that even Yang had to smile. On the other, of course, her two crushes were being friendly and flirty and they looked so damn cute together.

Oh well. She was a good partner and a good teammate and she cared about both of them. All that mattered was their happiness.

"Hey, is that Weiss?" Lilac eyes were ripped away from the display, zeroing in on an all too familiar shock of blue hair next to a very familiar Faunus.

"Yeah, and that's Blake!" Sun and Neptune exchanged those stupid, suave guy smiles with each other, and oh hell no were these two about to wreck all her hard work.

With speed that Ruby would've been jealous of, the blonde plastered on one of her characteristic grins, not-so-subtly stepping into the would-be interlopers' path. "Hey guys! What's up?"

"Oh, hi Yang!" Sun smiled, monkey tail swaying lazily behind him. "Haven't seen you in a minute. Enjoying the carnival?"

"It's a lot bigger than the ones we had on Patch, that's for sure." She chuckled, setting a friendly hand on their shoulders and- in that patent pending way she'd perfected- turned them right around, throwing an arm around their shoulders as she steered them away. "But, I gotta tell ya, this place is great! Awesome food, the games are alright, and have you checked out the prizes they got? Not to mention the rides!"

"Uh, yeah, we were going to see if Weiss and Blake wanted to, ya know, join us." Neptune tried to look behind him. "On the rides, I mean."

"Yeah. Those two could totally use some fun, right?" Sun waggled his eyebrows and, if he wasn't trying to wreck Operation Secret Date, Yang would've probably commended him for it.

However, as things stood, these two were obstacles she needed to remove, time fucking now. "Ah, you two don't wanna bug 'em right now. They're kinda in the middle of an... well..."

"Argument?" Sun raised a brow.

When it came to fighting, Yang was not a 'plan for every little thing' type like Weiss, a 'use misdirection and subterfuge' type like Blake, or a 'think fast and move faster' type like Ruby; she went with her gut, for better or worse. Apparently, this was one of those times.

"More like a debate, honestly." She let out a melodramatic sigh. "Don't get me wrong, they're getting along great now, and it's awesome having them so chill with each other, but those two love to pick opposite sides of a topic, just to see how the other will defend their point, ya know?"

Neptune laughed while the Faunus let out a relieved sigh. "Sounds like them, alright. They are just so smart."

Yes, she was highly aware of this, and maybe once Blake and Weiss were officially dating, she could call these two up and they could all cry to each other over their broken hearts. "Exactly."

"What are they debating, though?" Sun lowered his voice, cringing slightly. "It's not anything about... you know..."

"What? No, dude, y'all should give Weiss some credit." The blonde laughed, squeezing their shoulders. "Like I said, she's over that."

"Oh, well, maybe we can join their little debate." Neptune winked at his companion. "I'm sure we could provide some illuminating perspectives."

Yeah, she didn't believe that and she didn't expect either of these two to stop of their own accord.

Okay, so dissuading two suave lover boys was going to take her reaching into the emergency bag for help. She'd rate this just under a three in terms of severity, needed something they couldn't possibly have an opinion on one way or the other, and a distraction. A sign out of the corner of her eye gave her the last one, so all that was left was for her to reach deep within herself and embarrass the shit out of them.

"Well, not sure how much you two could help!" Yang brought them to a stop, looking between the two and a slight frown. "See, Ruby's all about teamwork and team bonding, right?"

"Yeah." Neptune and Sun responded in unison.

"And part of that is being on the same page about things, yeah?"

"Of course!"

They were too invested in where she was going with this to back out now. "Well, seeing as all of our menstrual cycles have finally synced up, it's come down to figuring out which hygiene product works best." Idly, she wondered if other gals could be so blasé about this particular subject matter. By the looks on their faces, the males in front of her were too shocked to think to stop her. "It's really inconvenient, ya know, because we all have very unique fighting styles, so weighing comfort against practicality is splitting us down the middle. I mean, you've seen the way Blake moves; can you imagine have a-"

"Maybe we really don't have the experience to contribute to that conversation." Neptune offered in a dead tone that did nothing to temper the blush rising in his cheeks.

"Yeah, that sounds like something you should, uh, talk about as a team with no outside influence whatsoever." Sun gulped, offering a weak smile.

Ah, boys. If they weren't so cute, she'd consider going full time lesbian.

Instead of teasing them though- and the urge was strong, so kudos to her for resisting- Yang merely shrugged off their dismissals. "Yeah, you two are probably right. Oh! But, whenever we're done and got some free time, I can tell them where you guys are!" She blinked innocently. "Uh, if I... know where you two will be, I guess."

That seemed to snap the two back into action, all smooth smiles and confidence as Neptune nodded. "Yeah, we'll probably be hanging around the rides."

"Oh, liiiiike, that one?" She pointed towards a rather hysterically garish 'Tunnel of Love' sign, a knowing smile on her lips as the two coughed and mumbled affirmatives. "Tell you two what; as soon as we're free from the shackles of team bonding, I will send your wanna-be lady loves straight into your awaiting arms. Sounds like a plan?"

"Absolutely!" Neptune and Sun exchanged grins, high fiving and totally missing Yang's eye roll.

"Great!" She smirked, giving them two thumbs up. "You two practice your lines and they'll be heading your way before you know it!"

"Thanks, Yang!"

"Yeah, appreciate the solid!"

As the two interlopers were successfully diverted, Yang returned her attention to Weiss and Blake. Thankfully, Neptune and Sun were more invested in listening to her talk than checking on what their crushes were actually doing; Weiss was trying her hand at the dart game, with Blake watching and offering a teasing remark or two. Although she was too far away to be certain, there looked to be a little red in those very pale cheeks.

Wait, was Weiss trying to impress Blake with a show of dexterity? Aw, that's adorable! Yang couldn't help but smirk a little, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Hey, little lady, wanna play a game?"

The blonde turned, half tempted to ask what was 'little' about her when she caught sight of the game the man was obviously trying to entice her to play. It was one of those swing-a-hammer, ring-the-bell things, with a myriad of colorful plush toys hanging all around it to serve as prizes. Most of them were run-of-the-mill carnival fare but there, at the top row, were five or six plush golden dragons roaring down at her.

Damnit, she wanted one.

"What's the game?" She walked over, putting on her best innocent, inquisitive expression while stealing a glance down towards Blake and Weiss. The Faunus was comforting the shorter woman, although they both seemed rather amused by whatever happened, with Weiss animatedly trying to wave her off while throwing down some more lien.

"Pretty straight forward," the man said, indicating the multicolored hammer set next to a metal stump. "Just hit the bulls-eye with the hammer. Hit with enough force to make that little runner ring the bell and you get a prize!"

"Oh? Which of them can I pick from?"

"Any one your little heart desires," he replied with a slick grin.

She was going to have fun with this. "Alright, I'll play."

Now, she wasn't Nora by any stretch of the imagination; that woman was beast with a hammer. Still, she spent her life punching through her problems, so she had a respectable amount of strength in her arms and core. Really, how hard could it be to ring a bell?

The answer: actually, pretty frickin' hard! She should've known that the games would be rigged in case any Hunters came around trying to play; her first swing only brought the little runner halfway up the pole. Sure, she didn't try too hard, because she didn't want to pay for breaking his game, but the stupid thing obviously encountered resistance somewhere around the mid point.

Okay, she could adjust. She'd just hit harder.

Second try, no dice. She got three quarters of the way but there was even more resistance.

"Aw, so close. Wanna try again?"

Yang had to temper the urge to smack him. She was getting that damn dragon and it didn't matter she'd probably already paid more than the thing was worth.

Her third try, the blonde didn't bother trying to ring the bell. Instead, she deliberately set her feet wrong and leaned too far over, swinging the hammer as hard as she could. Predictably, the stupid thing ricocheted off the bulls-eye and beamed her in the middle of her forehead. Her aura absorbed it instantly, though she made a show of acting like it hurt.

"Maybe it's time to stop?" The man offered warily, unsure if she was seriously injured or not.

"No, I'm fine! One more, come on!" She smiled wide, rubbing at her forehead. "Please? Just one more try?"

"Well, alright." He tipped his head. "On the house; that last one didn't count."

Ha. Sucker.

Allowing the minimal damage to fuel her movements, Yang brought that hammer down as hard as she could, jumping up in victory as the clear sound of a ringing bell echoed out.

"Yeah! Nailed it!" She set the hammer down, turning to ask the poor guy to go grab her dragon when she caught sight of something much different.

It was probably the last one the guy had: a huge, plush, adorable black cat with ears just like Blake's. It even had yellow eyes a shade too light to be hers but... it was so adorable!

"Can I... get the cat?" She pointed, smiling when the man nodded and started wrestling the black cat from its perch.

"I thought you were supposed to be looking for Ruby?"

The blonde stiffened, turning around with a wide smile on her lips and excuse at the ready. It died on her tongue when she finally caught sight of the heiress, struggling to carry a huge, plush, flexible... golden dragon, like the one she was trying to win. "Uh..."

Behind Weiss was Blake, arms conspicuously held behind her back while the shorter woman was leveling a halfhearted glare in Yang's direction. "Well?"

"I, uh, got distracted?" She shrugged. "But, hey! You won one of the games?"

"Yes. And here." Weiss threw the dragon's head up in an arc, looping its soft body around Yang's shoulders. "I thought you might like it."

"Aw, that's sweet, Princess." She couldn't help but beam, trying to contain her excitement. "But, uh, didn't you get something for yourself?"

"Oh, it's nothing, it was just a silly game, Yang." Aw, Weiss was blushing! That was absolutely adorable.

Blake obviously thought so, too. "The booth didn't have something suited to her tastes." She smiled wide, pulling a plush white fox from behind her back and holding it out. "The ring toss game, however, did."

"Blake? When did you..." Weiss' expression softened as she reached out and accepted the gift, carding her fingers through fur that matched her hair. "It's beautiful."

The Faunus shrugged nonchalantly, biting her lip slightly as she ducked her head. "I left a shadow clone so I could win it for you. I was back by the time you won, though."

Weiss reached out, again touching Blake's arm and offering one of her rare, wide smiles. Although the Faunus couldn't hope to clamp down on the blush rising in her cheeks, Yang smiled at the two of them. They really were adorable together.

"Here ya go, miss."

Yang turned just in time to accept the black cat, immediately offering it to Blake. "Here."

Amber eyes lit up as the Faunus chuckled, scratching between the plush's ears. She wasn't paying too much attention but Yang thought she saw a distinct flicker of disappointment flash through Weiss' eyes before they all smiled at each other.

"Now we all bear the fruit of our conquests." She cuddled the white fox to her chest as though it were alive. "What's next? More fruitless searching for your wayward sister or one of these rides of questionable structural integrity?"

Rides?

Ahahaha, nope.

"Actually, I'm kinda hungry." Yang made a show of shrugging the golden dragon around her shoulders into a better position while moving towards one of the food shacks, effectively keeping their attention on her. It wasn't that she was concerned either Weiss or Blake would go running off to be with Neptune and Sun, but, well, one could never be too careful. She had a mission and she was going to see it through. "How about we grab some grub?"

"Now that you mention it." Weiss turned, scanning the assembled temporary establishments and picking one out. "That one specializes in seafood, I think. They seem to serve fish based dishes, at the very least. We could go there."

Blake licked her lips as her gaze instantly honed in on the shack in question; Yang noticed not only the action but how effectively it captured Weiss' attention.

Yup. All she had to do was ensure no one screwed things up and these two were set.

The more she realized that, the easier it was to accept. It still hurt like no other but... she would get used to that, in time.

Sporting a big grin, she swept an arm out. "Well, then let's eat!"

* * *

The food was, in a word, awesome. The whole meal was filling, delicious, and, strangely, a lot of fun. Unlike the traditional shack, this place offered Huntress sized meals and then some, encouraging dining partners to pick off their friends' plates. Although Yang tried to keep to the side and just observe, Blake had managed to snag little pieces of fish that peppered her bowl of noodles and Weiss had leaned all the way over to steal a few of the sautéed vegetables. This, of course, meant she had to retaliate, and the meal quite nearly devolved into another food fight. How none of them choked on their food while giggling was beyond the blonde's guess.

At the very least, they all managed to peacefully share their chocolate dessert cake, though the blonde couldn't resist the mischievous inclination to scoop two fingers through the chocolate icing and paint a lazy line across the cheeks facing her. Blake and Weiss raised a brow at her for a moment before exchanging a look, fully realizing what the blonde had done while she busted out laughing.

"Very mature, Yang." The heiress rolled her eyes, though she immediately stiffened when Blake reached out and swiped up the majority of the chocolate on the shorter woman's cheek.

She immediately stuck the offending digit in her mouth and hummed, withdrawing a clean finger. The Faunus must've realized how incredibly forward- and hot, very hot- that action was after it was far too late, her bow twitching slightly as she averted her gaze. "I-"

Before she could complete her excuse or apology- Yang wasn't sure which- Weiss reached out and repaid her in kind, removing the chocolate from the Faunus' cheek and licking it off her finger. When she looked up, Blake was staring at her slack jawed while the blonde made the conscious effort to tear her eyes away; these two were going to be the death of her. "Was... that alright?"

Sensing the genuine tremor of fear in the heiress' voice, Yang subtly poked Blake's side, jolting the Faunus into smiling wide. "Yeah, uh, yeah. Sorry, I should've warned you first. Uh..."

Without a word, the blonde pushed a few napkins towards her flustered teammates, pretending to be distracted by something else. Deciding she might as well clean herself up as well, Yang popped the perpetrating digits into her mouth quickly while reaching for a napkin. She really hadn't anticipated how weird she would feel, effectively being the third wheel to a couple she had crush on, but that was fine. She was good. She was handling it.

Glancing at the duo in question, Yang raised a brow. Their faces were clean and they were both quite blatantly staring at her. Probably because she was holding them up. "So, what's next on the agenda?"

Blake seemed to perk up. "Well, we could try one of the rides. A rollercoaster, maybe?"

"I'm not sure I would trust one of those things with my life." Weiss muttered, glancing behind them and at the rollercoasters in question.

Confidently, the Faunus reached out and took one of the shorter woman's hands in hers, smiling. "We'll be fine. I'll be right beside you. Yang, too."

Yang fought the urge to wince and just barely won. The perfect chance to be smooth and of course her partner would take the safer route. What was she going to do with these two?

Weiss squeeze the hand holding hers and sighed. "Alright, I suppose trying it once wouldn't be too traumatizing."

"That's the spirit!" The blonde swung off the barstool, pointing to the tallest of the carnival's attractions that wasn't a Ferris wheel. "Let's go on that one!" She flashed her teammates a winning smile. "Since Princess is only going to ride one, it might as well be the biggest, right?"

It occurred to her the moment after she spoke exactly what she'd said, trying valiantly to contain the sputtering laughter than was just dying to come out. When Weiss and Blake rolled their eyes in tandem and groaned, however, she couldn't hold it any longer, laughing uproariously at her own double entendre.

"I can't tell if that was simply vulgar or just plain horrible." The heiress shook her head, carefully tucking the white fox under her arm as she got off her stool.

Blake slid off hers, the black cat laying over her left shoulder. "I'm voting for horribly vulgar."

"You two are no fun," Yang replied, taking the dragon's tail- its body still draped over her shoulders- and tossing it completely around her neck, rocking the plush like a boa. "I'm fabulous."

They laughed, heading towards the ride which, conveniently enough, was at the opposite end of the carnival from the Tunnel of Love ride.

Idly, Yang wondered just how long Sun and Neptune would wait there and just how mad they would be the next time she saw them. Ah, well. She'd take them out to dinner as an apology, where they could bemoan their collective heartbreak together.


	2. Phase Two?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> About here is where the train went off the rails.

Yang had initially thought Weiss was merely playing up her suspicions and accusations regarding the ride's safety standards and whatnot. As they waited for the next car to arrive, however, she and Blake became starkly aware that the heiress was genuinely a little terrified of the very concept of a rollercoaster. Of course, the blonde wanted to help assuage her fears but she consciously stepped back and let Blake take the lead. That was the whole point of Operation Secret Date, after all.

"Weiss, if you _really_ don't want to do this, we don't have to," the Faunus said, lips quirked up into a reassuring smile as she ran a soothing hand up and down the heiress' arm. "We can walk straight across the car to the exit. It's fine."

"Both of you have done this and survived," Weiss replied through gritted teeth, shoulders jumping at each unexpected creak of metal. "I'm not a child to be coddled."

There was little bite to the words, which was a good sign, but at Blake's silent plea for help, the blonde stepped up, mirroring her partner's position. "You're definitely not, Princess, but Blakey and I are right here with you regardless and we _promise_ it'll be okay."

The heiress took a steadying breath, looking between the two and releasing it slowly as the car pulled up to the docking mechanism. As the attendant waved them on, she nodded, following Blake into the front row of the car. Yang figured she'd take the second row, seeing as there weren't many people in line anyway, but the heiress grabbed her by the hand and tugged her up front. It was... a surprisingly comfortable fit.

If Yang could just ignore the fact that Weiss was pressed against her right side, which meant her right arm was on the back of their seat, hand brushing Blake's raven locks. In other words: a really _awesome_ position to be in if it weren't for the whole third wheel thing.

At this point, she was quite convinced some unseen force was torturing her.

Not that she was exactly _complaining_ , per say.

The safety bar was clicked into place and the ride's attendant stepped away. Weiss looked at the bar warily, squirming slightly in her seat. It was weird how a Huntress in training- whose very first forty-eight hours at the school involved being blown up, launched into the air, starting a fire in a forest, and hitching a ride on a _Nevermore_ \- could be utterly terrified by something as mundane as a rollercoaster.

Then again, she liked seeing the heiress so off kilter, so... yeah, as long as the heiress made it through the ride without any permanent mental scarring, net gain overall.

"Hey." Blake reached out, taking one pale hand in hers. "It's okay."

"Right." The shorter woman nodded, stifling a squeak of surprise as the ride lurched to a start. "Why are we doing this again?"

"Because once we're done-" the blonde winked "-you'll want to go again."

"I highly doubt- THAAAAAT!"

Yang learned three very important things on that first rapid descent on the rollercoaster. One was that, for such a dainty hand, Weiss had a deceptively strong grip, snatching up her left without a second thought. Two was that Blake was not as okay with this ride as she pretended to be, seeing as she immediately latched onto Yang's arm with her free hand and pressed close to Weiss' right side. And three was that both of her teammates had a set of lungs on them, though Weiss' definitely won in terms of endurance and volume, to the point she might need to get her hearing checked afterwards.

She then realized she would absolutely _love_ to watch these two watch a scary movie at some point.

Regardless, the blonde laughed in sheer joy, pulling her teammates into her and using her strength to keep them firmly planted in the hard plastic car. Although Blake was the first to recover from her initial shock, laughing at a particularly sharp bank, Weiss had gone disturbingly quiet, to the point she nearly thought the heiress had passed out. Thankfully, the unrelenting grip on her hand confirmed otherwise, and when the ride finally drew to a close, the shorter woman started gasping for breath, as if she hadn't dared to breathe since her initial scream ended.

As the safety bar raised, Yang shot a look over to a worried Blake, wordlessly conveying her intent. Her partner picked right up on it and the two wormed their hands out of Weiss' grip carefully.

"It's alright, Weiss. We've got you." Blake's voice was calm and reassuring, to the point the heiress didn't even think to object as they hooked their arms under her legs, the grip they already shared across the back of the seat shifting to bear all of Weiss' weight. They stood up together, their teammate held aloft between them, and Yang had the temerity to flash a smile to the surprised attendant as they walked off the ride.

They made it all the way down to the little cubby lockers where they secured their prizes before heading up the ramp, then Weiss let out a forced little huff. "I can walk, you know."

"Princesses don't have to walk," Blake replied instantly, her tone nothing short of adoration as she shot a wink at Yang. They came to a stop, helping the heiress to her feet. "However, if Her Highness insists..."

"She does." The shorter woman sniffed, turning to regard them both with an obviously feigned, haughty little frown before the expression morphed into a self satisfied smirk. Weiss laid a hand on their arms. "However, she also appreciates the efforts of her erstwhile knights."

They all laughed, collecting their stuff from the lockers, Blake gently teasing Weiss about the rollercoaster while the heiress did everything in her power not to blush, lightly nudging the Faunus in an attempt to dissuade her merciless assault. Without even thinking, Blake put an arm around Weiss' shoulder in apology and left it there, the heiress tilting her head until it rested against the Faunus' shoulder as they debated what to do next.

Yang watched them as she settled her dragon back around her shoulders, smiling fondly at the two.

If it was possible, she was probably crushing ten times harder than before they came to the carnival.

But she had a handle on it.

"Yang?" Blake turned her head, Weiss following a second later. "Aren't you coming?"

Her grin got wider. "Yeah. Of course."

* * *

Their next stop turned out to be a fun house. Partly because Yang found them to be at least mildly hilarious- especially when she was younger and could spook Ruby whenever they got to the inevitable mirror section- and partly because she'd caught sight of Neptune and Sun, dejectedly meandering through the crowd.

As it happened, fun houses were yet another thing the heiress had never experienced, and Blake was obviously a little more smug than she absolutely needed to be while gracefully moving from one jerking platform to the next in a section that tried to upend whoever happened to be traversing it. Yang was bringing up the rear, keeping a careful eye on Weiss as she tried to keep her balance on the shifting platforms while Blake walked backwards, a smug smirk on her lips.

"If you need help-"

"Blake, I'm fine, and as soon as we reach stable ground, I'm going to smack _both of you_ for dragging me in here." The shorter woman grumbled, stifling a squeak of surprise as the platform suddenly buckled, forcing her to move quickly to the next. "This place is a death trap!"

Yang bit her lip, trying not to laugh while Blake outright giggled.

"It's not nearly as bad as you- oh!"

Lilac eyes widened as the Faunus misjudged her next step backwards, the heel of her shoe catching on a still raised platform. Without conscious thought, the blonde shot a hand forward, grabbing her partner's arm to steady her while Weiss had a firm hold on Blake's other arm, thus preventing a rather embarrassing landing on her rump.

"You okay there, partner?" The blonde grinned softly as a blush rose in Blake's cheeks.

"Serves you right." The heiress huffed, though her brows immediately pinched in concern. "You didn't hurt yourself, did you?"

"Just wounded pride," Blake replied with a self deprecating smirk, bow twitching slightly. "I guess I _did_ deserve that."

They moved to more stable ground, though the next section of the fun house involved a bunch of padded pillars that forced them to separate. Blake and Weiss had no trouble slipping through the blasted things; Yang, on quite the other hand, definitely didn't remember them being quite so... annoying. Her shoulders were a bit broader than when she was younger and turning sideways didn't help because, well, her chest was a bit more than ample, too, but the blonde eventually forced her way through the last obstacle, stumbling slightly once she reached the other side. Familiar sets of hands caught her though, both of her teammates more than a little amused by her efforts.

"This place is just a lawsuit waiting to happen." Weiss muttered, shaking her head to hide the smile on her lips.

"Well, we could always ride another roller-"

"Shut up, Blake." The Faunus laughed as the shorter woman lightly slapped her arm.

The mirror maze was next, which was utterly ridiculous in all the right ways. Watching Weiss and even Blake slowly inch their way through the maze with their arms out to determine which image was a mirror and which was just a trick of the mind was somewhat hysterical, especially when the heiress dropped her arms in exasperation and promptly walked into one of the mirrors. Not that Yang or Blake did much better, because there was absolutely no way the blonde could resist the urge to mess with her partner a bit, using the plush dragon's tail to encroach on the Faunus' peripheral vision, causing her to jump a time or two and glower.

At the end was a wall length mirror, right before where a series of funny mirrors- and the previous entrants to the fun house- were, and Yang hung back a bit so Weiss and Blake could take a moment to check their reflections. The heiress was fussing with her offset ponytail with one hand- the tiara in her hair was askew thanks to the pillars- while the Faunus checked to ensure her bow hadn't moved too much in the process. Leaning against the end of the maze, the blonde watched them with a small smile on her lips, arms crossed over her chest. With a chuckle, Blake eventually- and very carefully- helped Weiss out, seeing as both her hands were free.

Blue eyes caught her gaze in the mirror. "Yang?"

The blonde steeled herself, allowing her biggest smile to nearly split her face as she came up behind the two, clapping an arm on their shoulders. "Sorry, I just noticed you two are really cute together!"

Okay, so that wasn't in the original plan, but it was _so_ true!

Amber and blue eyes widened briefly, meeting her lilac gaze in the mirror before taking in their reflections. Twin blushes rose in her teammates cheeks but Yang noticed that they made no move to shuffle away from each other or stammer out excuses.

Yep, she was awesome. Totally nailed it.

"Come on." Blake took Weiss' hand in hers. "We're almost out of the fun house."

They started towards the funny mirrors, pausing to chuckle at their distorted images or make goofy faces- though that was mostly Yang. Weiss and Blake tried their hand, of course, but the blonde thought watching the reflection wasn't as amusing as the real thing.

The last obstacle they had to clear was a large, rotating barrel, with stripes running the length of the inside that was just wide enough for Yang to walk through with about three inches of clearance over her head.

"They _cannot_ be serious." Weiss grumbled, shaking her head as she stepped into the rotating barrel, keeping her steps small and slanted so she didn't fall. Blake was next with the blonde bringing up the rear.

About halfway through, Yang smirked, putting her arms out and standing still. As the rotation started putting her into a very slow cartwheel, the blonde flexed her arms and shifted her legs so she didn't end up falling.

"Yang, what are you doing?" Blake had stopped progressing through the barrel, instead walking against the rotation like she was on a hamster wheel.

"I wanna see if I can do it," she replied, flexing her core as she was slowly flipped upside down.

"She's showing off." Weiss surmised, carefully making her way back to walk beside Blake.

"Guilty as charged." Yang stifled her chuckle, putting some serious effort into keeping her position. It wasn't like she didn't have the strength but being slowly flipped into a handstand was much different from doing it herself, and she flashed an upside down grin at the duo. "You're just jealous!"

"Oh, am I?" The heiress flipped her hair, winking at Blake before carefully maneuvering around her, the Faunus watching with great interest as Weiss got closer to the blonde. "I doubt I'll be jealous of your headache."

"Headache? What- No!" Yang's eyes widened as her teammate reached out and brushed her slender fingers across the blonde's unprotected middle. Of course, she instantly tried to curl in and protect herself from the impending attack that never came because gravity decided to beat Weiss to the punch. She was already past the point of being perfectly vertical, so her shoulder was the first to hit before the rest of Yang followed.

Blake and Weiss instantly busted out laughing, though the heiress was kind enough to try dropping down beside her, the Faunus behind her a moment later. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fi- watch out!" Seeing as they weren't actively trying to keep their balance anymore- their attention focused on their fallen teammates- Weiss and Blake were caught off guard when the barrel kept spinning, scrambling to keep their balance while it was the blonde's turn to laugh.

By the time they made it out of the stupid barrel, Blake and Weiss were laughing so hard they could barely stand and Yang had to crawl the rest of the way out, collapsing on the stable ground in an unstoppable giggle fit.

Oh, that was _so_ worth it!

Yang eventually regained control of herself enough to roll onto her back, noting her teammates were standing on either side of her and smiling, offering their hands to help her up.

"Okay, I'll admit that was... amusing." Weiss tried her very hardest to sound vaguely annoyed but the curl of her lips told a very different story.

"So, where next?" Blake looked between them, amber eyes shining with so many emotions it was hard for the blonde to name them all.

Yang hummed, noting how late it was getting. The sun had set between their meal and the rollercoaster, so they probably only had one last big event left before wrapping up the night. "How about the Ferris wheel?"

Her teammates followed her gaze to the towering wheel, watching its slow and methodical progress for a moment before agreeing. Apparently, neither was keen on getting on another rollercoaster any time soon.

* * *

The lights of Vale glittered below as the Ferris wheel slowly came to a stop, their tiny little car swaying slightly. For two people, it was a cozy little ride; for three, it was bordering on cramped.

Not that Yang was complaining. She'd _offered_ to take the next car but Weiss and Blake were reluctant to let Yang ride alone. So, here they were, all seated on the same side- for some strange reason- with Yang closest to the door, Blake beside her, and Weiss on the other side, leaning quite cozily into the Faunus. Their eyes were starting to droop as the hour grew later but they were smiling, enjoying the quiet end to their day.

The blonde looked away from the view outside of their car to take stock of the one inside it, smile growing a little wider as the heiress rested her head against Blake's shoulder and covered a yawn with one dainty hand. For her part, the Faunus was biting her lips softly, the gentle vibration Yang could feel emanating from her partner the hints of a purr Blake was trying to keep in check. A slight shift- she couldn't tell who moved first- brought amber and blue gazes together and Yang immediately diverted her own attention, looking out the window and trying very hard to give the duo privacy.

Because, really, at the top of a Ferris wheel was a _totally_ awesome place for a kiss. She wasn't a hopeless romantic or anything but it was _really_ hard not to sneak one in herself from either of her teammates. Top of the world, cuddled up together, content- it really did set the scene and it made her heart clench uncomfortably being fully aware she would never get a shot at that with either of the amazing people currently in the car with her.

But, hey, that was fine! She was a good partner and Blake was _definitely_ going to get the girl.

That's what mattered.

"Yang?" The blonde turned her head, noting Weiss' worried look as the heiress gently brushed her arm. The concern evident in her tone prompted Blake to look her way as well. "Is everything alright?"

"Yeah!" Yang smiled, forcing back her momentary melancholy. She'd have to keep a tight lid on that from here on out. "I was just, ya know, thinking about where Rubes ran off to."

Granted, perhaps her sister's whereabouts didn't cross her mind as often as it rightly _should_ , but her little sister was also pretty badass, as long as she had Crescent Rose within reach. Nothing had blown up (yet) so she was reasonably sure Ruby hadn't gotten into any trouble.

"We can go looking for her after this." Blake offered, obviously trying to assuage any concerns.

"I doubt that will be necessary." Weiss peered through her side of the car. "I'm pretty sure that's her down there."

Curious, the blonde got up and leaned over, sending the car rocking. Sure enough, there was a little blob of red far below, probably watching the Ferris wheel. Back on Patch, the two would go on the attraction every time and... have fun.

"We should signal to her, so she knows which one's us." Yang offered nonchalantly, subtly shifting her weight towards the unoccupied side of the car.

"How would we-"

"Don't you dare-"

Grinning widely- some might even say maniacally- the blonde started rocking her body weight side-to-side, sending the whole car moving with her. Weiss instantly latched onto Blake while the Faunus threw her arms out for stability.

"Yang!"

"You unbelievable oaf!"

Cackling like a loon, Yang started timing each shift in her weight with the momentum of the car, just keeping things going rather than adding speed to the motion. The Ferris wheel started moving again, bringing them inexorably down towards the staging area while two of the three occupants hurled (barely worth calling) obscenities, (ridiculously light) death threats, (adorably tempting) promises, and (very, very tame) bribery attempts at the madly amused blonde still coaxing all manner of strange creaks from the metal encasing them. About a quarter of the way around, Yang relented, leaning to the opposite side in order to counterbalance the swinging and slowly bringing the car back to a relative standstill.

She tried quite heroically to bring her amusement under control.

"Are you _insane_?" Weiss shrieked, still holding onto the Faunus for dear life. "Were you trying to kill us?"

Blake breathed out a chuckle, wrapping the heiress up in her arms and rubbing soothing circles into her back. "She was just teasing, Princess."

"It wasn't funny." The heiress complained, although the moment she took stock of her position she seemed to relax.

"Yang." Her partner level that serious amber gaze the blonde's way. "You should apologize."

Oh she was _so_ tempted to argue that point but she instantly dropped into the seat opposite her teammates and smiled. "You're right, Blakey. Sorry, Princess, I didn't mean to scare ya."

Weiss met her gaze only briefly before looking away, separating from the Faunus slightly. "It's alright."

The blonde raised a brow, watching her teammates momentarily before looking out over Vale again. For a moment, it seemed like Weiss was sad she apologized- and, given that it was the heiress, Yang didn't put it past her- but the flicker was so brief she almost thought she imagined it. They reached the end of the ride without further incident, disembarking the Ferris wheel to find Ruby standing at the bottom of the ramp, grinning at them.

"There you are!" Yang threw her arms around her little sister. "Where'd you run off to, Rubes? You didn't even say anything!"

"Sorry!" Their team leader wheezed, extricating herself from the blonde's hold thanks to years of practice. "I saw a friend of mine and kinda got sidetracked."

"You didn't start any trouble, did you?" The heiress raised a brow, trying mightily to smother her apparent happiness with that Ice Queen mask.

Nice try, but the blonde could see straight through it, and the rest of their team, too.

"Doubtful." Blake shrugged. "We didn't hear anything explode."

Yang laughed while her sister ducked her head. "We're just messin', Rubes!"

"Right." Her sister smiled, looking at each of them in turn. "Nice toys, by the way. Oh! Check out what I got!" She produced from beneath her coat a plush red unicorn with a red rose stitched just above its right ear. "My friend won it for me."

"Aw, that's adorable!" The blonde laughed, before pulling an intensely serious expression. "Who is he and when do I get to interrogate him?"

Blake and Weiss smothered their amusement while Ruby turned her namesake. "Yaaaaang!"

"Aw, come on!" She slung an arm around her sister's shoulders. "You gotta introduce us all proper-like _sometime_!"

"Well." Ruby drawled while they started making their way back to Beacon. "I kinda thought we could all hang out tomorrow, if it's okay with you guys?"

Yang got a reply ready to fire for Weiss' objection. It never came; she wasn't sure if she was sad that she couldn't immediately tease the heiress or proud she was being supportive.

"I believe the saying goes 'the more, the merrier'." Blue eyes zeroed in on the blonde. "Although, I'm not quite sure how much more 'merriment' I can stand."

Blake chuckled. "It's fine, Ruby. We'd love to meet him."

"Great!" Their youngest member beamed.

* * *

The rest of the way to Beacon was spent regaling Ruby with their antics. Or, rather, telling three versions of the same story. The blonde's was the best version obviously, though Weiss tried hard to deny that she 'wailed like a banshee' on the rollercoaster and Blake claimed that she didn't look like 'a cat thrown into a bathtub' during the Ferris wheel ride. Whatever, Yang was pretty sure Ruby knew the score by the end of their telling.

"Uh, Weiss?" Blake cleared her throat, speaking more confidently on her second attempt. "May we talk?"

"Of course." The heiress stopped and Yang didn't even wait for an attempt at something further.

"Well, you two don't take too long, alright!" She winked at them. "We've got one heck of a day planned for tomorrow!"

With one hand on Ruby's shoulder, the blonde steered her sister towards their room, fighting the temptation to double back and ensure nothing bad happened between her two teammates.

The moment they were out of earshot, Ruby reached up and gently pat her hand. "Are you going to be okay, sis?"

She blinked, forcing out a laugh. "Uh, why wouldn't I be?"

Silver eyes narrowed briefly but, thankfully, she dropped it. "Just asking."

* * *

Okay, so, maybe subtlety wasn't, like, a _big_ thing in her book. Stealth was totally Blake's gig and Yang was cool with that. So, there was probably a _much_ better way to go about trying to spy on Blake and Weiss than leaning out of their room's window, but, hey, the blonde was at least aware enough to realize that she couldn't do much in the way of sneaking without a crowd of people to use for concealment.

Whatever, it was getting the job done, kinda, because she could still read a bit into their body language to get a jist of what was going on down there. It seemed that the two hadn't really _talked_ so much as found a nice bench to sit on and admire the night sky. When Blake _did_ start talking, Yang could've seen the nervous energy running through the Faunus from a country mile away. Weiss was patient, though- strange, but she was grateful for it- and somehow managed to either coax the truth out of Blake or just waited until the flood gates opened on their own.

Blake stood up, fidgeting nervously, clearly ready to bolt if things soured. Yang could feel her muscles slowly bunch up, like she was preparing to leap from the window to the ground below to take off after her partner. She didn't go after the Faunus the first time and that was the absolute _wrong_ answer and she _was not_ going to make that mistake again.

Weiss stayed seated and the blonde was watching her just as closely, hanging halfway out of the window.

Finally, the Faunus must've reached the story about her last mission with the White Fang, staring resolutely at the ground as the heiress' posture stiffened. A few tense moments passed and Blake looked ready to run- Yang was already putting her foot on the window sill- but Weiss stood up, got right up in Blake's face and... well, the angle wasn't great, but if the way the Faunus just threw her arms around the shorter woman was any indication, Yang could be reasonably sure that there was nothing to worry about.

"Way to go, partner." The blonde whispered, smiling as she retreated back into the room, closing the window with a sigh.

Her heart ached with a combination of joy and resignation. She was happy for them, of course she was, but it still kinda hurt. Not that she'd _want_ them to get upset with each other or something like that, no, but... well, there went her chances.

But that was fine! She totally had a handle on these inconvenient crushes. Nothing to worry about.

"Yang? Are you crying?"

Her gaze snapped up, meeting Ruby's worried expression with a fake, easy smile and chuckling. "Nah, just got something in my eye, that's all. I'm gonna head to the bathroom to get it out. Back in a bit!"

"Okay..." Her sister offered uncertainly, though she was through the door by the time the reply came, scrubbing at her face. She hadn't even noticed it, which sucked, because she definitely was happy for her teammates, even if that's all they would ever be. Her personal feelings had no business coming before their happiness!

What the heck was wrong with her?

"I need to get a grip." The blonde muttered to herself, shouldering her way into the communal bathroom and leaning against the first sink, swiping at her face again. "I'm _fine_. I'm happy for them."

Geez, she felt like such a punk. Who got upset over their friends dating? Jerks, that's who, and while Yang was many, many, _many_ things, a jerk was not one of them! No matter how some might claim!

"It's not the end of the world, anyway." She assured herself, grabbing a paper towel and wiping her face off. "I'll get over it. It's _not_ a big deal."

A soft knock at the door interrupted her monologue and the blonde raised one brow at the sound, its twin raising as well when the door opened to admit none other than Weiss. The heiress gave her a small grin. "I thought I heard you in here."

"Hey, Princess." She forced a smile, although it really wasn't hard. Sure, she might be... not... quite handling developments as well as a good partner should, but, well, she was going to do better. Starting now. "What's up?"

Weiss watched her a moment before nodding towards the hall. "Walk with me?"

"Is everything okay?" Whatever hurt might or might not be worming its way through her heart was immediately replaced by concern. Had she thought wrong? Did-

"Everything's fine. It's... great, actually." The shorter woman chuckled, brushing a lock of snow white hair behind her ear, blue eyes dazzling with happiness. "But I think it can be better."

"Oh... kay." Intrigued, Yang followed Weiss out into the hall, the two walking side-by-side to an unknown location. They went down the hall, down the stairs, and eventually outside before Weiss spoke again.

"I assume you're aware how the conversation between Blake and I went."

"I have an idea," the blonde replied.

"She told me about her past."

"Right."

"Her last mission."

"Okay."

"And her attraction to me." Yang nodded, not quite sure where things were going and not trusting herself to voice anything besides. "Which, to be frank, is... something I reciprocate."

"Look, if you, like, want my permission or something-"

Weiss waved her off before stopping in the middle of the path, blue eyes seeking out lilac. "Yang... you like Blake."

"Well, of course, she's my partner-"

The heiress groaned, scowling slightly. "Please stop being insufferably dense. You like her in the same manner I do, Yang Xiao Long."

Deny it.

That was the first thought that occurred to her and she opened her mouth to... but... she couldn't lie to Weiss like that. Not about how she felt about Blake. Hide it, sure, but a bold faced lie? She'd just feel shitty about it later, even if it was what a _good_ partner would do.

"Yeah. I do." She looked away. "But you're the one Blake wants, Weiss."

"She's not the only one."

The blonde's eyes widened in panic as she whirled around, coming face-to-face with the Faunus in question. "Blakey! Uh-"

"Do _not_ try to change your answer now, Yang." Weiss huffed behind her. "Just be honest with us."

Well, of all the times she'd allowed herself to contemplate being trapped between these two, it certainly never turned out like _this_.

On second thought, she should probably keep those thoughts locked away; now really wasn't the time to revisit them.

Blake, taking advantage of the blonde's current mental argument, stepped in close to her, amber eyes burning with questions. Belatedly, she noticed that the Faunus' bow was gone and her fingers suddenly itched to trace along the soft looking appendages. "Yang, why didn't you tell me?"

This was _so_ many levels of unfair.

"I couldn't." She groaned, taking a deep breath to steel herself before releasing it slowly, a small, sad smile on her lips. "When you told me you had- _have_ a crush on Weiss, I didn't want to stand in the way of that. I want you to be happy, Blakey, no matter who you're with."

The Faunus chuckled, wrapping her up in a gentle but firm hug. "You oaf."

Great, now they were both doing it. Still, Yang couldn't help returning the embrace, burying her face briefly in than raven mane and imprinting the experience on her mind, heart, and soul before pulling away.

"You were right, Weiss," Blake said, gaze sliding to their teammate. "I... guess I was too close to see."

Yang fully expected some haughty reply to be forthcoming, and Weiss looked like she was on verge of delivering it, when she paused and changed tracks, ducking her head slightly. "It's probably the main reason I never said anything, to be honest. You two always look so happy together; I was honestly surprised to learn you two _weren't_ already dating." She gave a self depreciating laugh. "I mean, really, how could I ever measure up to the one and only Yang Xiao Long anyway?"

"What are you talking about?" The blonde immediately rounded on the shorter woman, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Weiss, you're _amazing_. Don't measure yourself against anyone else like that! You and Blakey are totally different people but that doesn't mean I don't care about you two the same way!"

Weiss blinked in surprise while Blake's lip curled into a rather devious smirk.

"You care about us in the _same_ way?"

Well, snap, crackle, and pop, she walked straight (ha!) into that one. Shit. The blonde had a split second moment of sheer panic before setting on just letting it all out.

"The exact same way." She nodded, lilac eyes shifting between the two gazes locked onto her, their owners hanging on her every word. "I know it's not... normal, or whatever, but I don't care. I've felt like this for a while, I guess, like my heart was pulling me in two directions at once." She focused on Blake. "I have a crush on you-" she shifted back to Weiss "-and you, too, but I want both of you to be happy, so I'm not going to stand between you."

"Unless we ask you to." Weiss mumbled, clearly realizing she spoke aloud a moment too late, a blush suffusing her cheeks.

Well, now wasn't _that_ a pleasant/evil image.

Blake chuckled. "What she means is, it might not be as uncommon as you think, though you were far more... selfless in that respect." The Faunus' ears drooped slightly as she looked away. "Part of why I was so... hesitant to explain my feelings to Weiss that I failed to mention was that I _thought_ you like her, Yang." She shrugged. "She certainly likes you."

Yang's gaze moved to the heiress. "Really?"

"How can I not?" Weiss sighed, mustering her courage and raised her head so their gazes met. " _Of course_ I like you, you oaf! Both of you!" She hid her face in her hands, pale skin turning red all the way to the tips of her ears. "Do you have any idea how miserable I've felt, pining for two people I _wholly believed_ were already in a committed relationship _with each other_?"

The blonde blinked, tilting her head back as she put the pieces together. "So... if Weiss likes Blake and Yang-"

"Is she seriously referring to herself in the third person?"

"It helps her think."

"... and Yang likes Weiss and Blake..." Her gaze fell to the Faunus. "... does that mean Blake likes..."

"Weiss and Yang?" She smiled. "Yes."

"Then... we all like each other." Okay, it was official, she must've actually broken the Ferris wheel car and plunged them all into a coma, because there was no way she could naturally dream up something _this_ good. "So... can we all date each other?"

Blake tilted her head slightly in curiosity. "How would that work?"

"Well, in most polyamorous relation... ships..." Weiss trailed off, offering a weak smile at the intense looks she was receiving.

The partners exchanged brief, mischievous grins, Blake stalking forward first. "And just how much research into this particular topic did you do, Miss Schnee?"

Yang followed suit. "And just how much are you looking forward to practicing?"

Flustered Weiss was still best Weiss, and the double team attack was doing wonders for her pale complexion. "I hate you both and I want to kiss you." Blake and Yang glanced at each other. "Yes, both of you- oh, what did I get myself into?"

"Nothing you won't thoroughly enjoy," Blake replied, nodding to the blonde.

Made sense; the Faunus already got a kiss.

Trying to keep her excitement under control- which was really, _really_ hard, heads up- Yang slipped one arm around the shorter woman's back, her other hand cupping a blush stained cheek and tilting Weiss' head up so their gazes could meet. She'd thought about this probably more times than was entirely healthy and she was _totally_ going to have a blast comparing imagination to reality. Taking the initiative, Yang leaned forward, pressing her lips against Weiss'.

Let the record show that reality blew imagination out of the water.

In her head, the blonde kinda assumed that Weiss would be the perfect little princess when it came to kissing, following her lead and maybe shying away a little. No. _Oh_ no, was that not the case.

The heiress was just as demanding as usual, challenging Yang at every turn, hungry and quick to react. The blonde changed the angle to gain leverage and a slim hand found its way to her hip; she pulled their bodies closer and nails drew patterns across her skin; she opened her mouth to tease puffy lips with her tongue and was quite nearly drawn deeper into the kiss. Weiss, however, seemed to jolt back to her sense and withdrew, face burning bright red.

It took a moment watching the heiress before the blonde spoke, gently soothing away that fierce blush. "Went too fast, huh?"

"Sorry." Weiss tried to look away but Yang wouldn't let her, pressing a chaste kiss to the shorter woman's forehead.

"Don't apologize, Princess." She winked. "We've got plenty of chances to figure out what works." When the blonde received a smile, she slowly drew away, turning her attention to a very flustered Faunus. "Oh, did someone enjoy the show?"

"Don't dignify that with a response."

"Aw, c'mon!"

Yang relented at the slight glare she received, allowing Weiss to slip out of her grasp as Blake stepped in to fill the space. The Faunus was taller and fuller, physically speaking, but the blonde didn't seem to notice the difference too much. Not until she leaned in and connected their lips.

This kiss followed much like she anticipated it would. They'd worked as partners for months, learning to play off each other, work in tandem, so it was only natural that Blake would respond in kind to every move she made. Where Weiss challenged her, Blake was like water flowing over rocks, entirely capable of pushing them from her path but opting for the course of least resistance. Their lips slid over each others' easily, bodies brought together with equal force, a strange sense of familiarity in a brand new action.

Kissing Weiss was like fire and ice meeting; kissing Blake was like light and shadow filling the void.

And they were _awesome_ kissers to boot.

Rather than nearly delve headfirst into the deep end, Yang ended the kiss with a playful flick of her tongue, to which Blake giggled, those adorable cat ears atop her head twitching happily. Lilac eyes immediately shot to Weiss, a triumphant smirk erupting as she noted how the little display had affected her other... girlfriend? Partner?

Girlfriend, she decided. Partner carried with it a promise of battle, the smell of gunpowder and the thrill of victory. Also, one of these terms was used in class rather frequently and, while _she_ would get a kick out of all the double entendres she could orchestrate, neither of her teammates would be nearly as appreciative... plus, they were easier to embarrass.

They _were_ her partners, of course, part of the very small circle of people she would literally fight to the ends of Remnant and back for, but here, in this moment between the three of them, they were more than that, too.

"Okay, now it's my turn to watch." She held up a finger to preempt any argument. "I didn't have a good angle last time and I wasn't this close."

With hardly any further complaint- Weiss rolled her eyes and, at this point, it was obviously taking a conscious effort for her to be a royal pain in the neck- the two came together, black and white entwining.

Yang was a little mesmerized. Sure, it was a lot of fun being part of the action, but watching... well, it certainly wasn't bad. It didn't bring the pain she'd felt earlier in the day- she was just as much part of this as the two she adored- and it was interesting in its own right, too. She expected Weiss to be forceful, to challenge and for Blake to adapt, to yield, but then the tide turned. Suddenly, the Faunus was the one dominating the kiss, their girlfriend willingly ceding ground, until some unspoken point was reached and the tide turned again.

Weiss kissing Blake was like a dance and it was beautiful.

When they separated, smiling softly at each other, Yang could hardly contain the warmth in her chest, the expression on her face the only warning the two had before they were scooped up onto her shoulders, Weiss on the left and Blake on the right. Their weight was nothing in the face of the seemingly boundless energy thrumming through her body.

"You oaf, what on Remnant do you think you're doing?" Not even the heiress' chastising could put a damper on her mood as the blonde set off.

"We're going to the cafeteria!"

Weiss sighed. "They closed hours ago, Yang."

"We're going to the library!"

Blake chuckled. "Which closed ten minutes ago."

"We're going to the room!"

"And _why_ do we suddenly require a change of location?"

The blonde stopped, glancing up at them a little sheepishly. "Well, I... really wanna cuddle, but I don't want to get you two dirty, and cuddling standing up isn't the same, so..."

Blake and Weiss exchanged a look over her head before turning twin grins on her.

"Then let's go."

* * *

Although reluctant, Yang set the two down outside their door, quietly agreeing that- seeing as Ruby was _her_ sister- it would be the blonde's responsibility to break the news to her.

Man, this _really_ wasn't a serious conversation she wanted to have with her baby sis. As a joke to embarrass her? Oh, hell yeah, she could do that. But, sucking it up and preparing to barrel through anything, Yang keyed open their door and marched through, ready for just about anything. "Hey, Rubes, we gotta talk."

The youngest member of their team stuck her head out from the makeshift canopy of her bed. "About what?"

The subtle presence at her sides of Blake and Weiss was immensely helpful as she looked into inquisitive silver eyes. "Blake, Weiss, and I are all dating each other now."

Ruby blinked. "So... all three of you... are in one relationship?"

Yang nodded.

For a moment, she thought her little sister was about to lose her mind. Instead, Ruby just smiled and pumped her fists into the air. "Yes! Project Super Ninja Date Night was a success!"

Wait.

"Project _what_?" Weiss cried out.

Blake seemed equally incredulous. "You ditched us today on purpose?"

Did... did she just get out-Yanged by her own sister?

"Yup!"

She did.

She totally fucking did.

Rather than gaping at Ruby like her girlfriends, however, Yang laughed. "Thanks for the assist, Rubes!"

They high fived while Weiss seemed intent on interrogating her partner, Blake recovering enough to grin at them.

Sensing the impending danger that was Weiss Schnee, Ruby quickly retreated as far as she was able. "I regret nothing! You should be thanking me!"

"Oh, I'll _thank_ you, alright! Get over here, dolt!"

"Wait..." Blake narrowed her eyes. "Does that make tomorrow a double date?"

They all exchanged a glance before smiles split their faces, excitement replacing shock.

Yang hadn't really ever dreamed of an outcome like this but she wasn't about to squander the opportunity, because part of being a good girlfriend was being heavily invested in the others' happiness. Just because theirs wasn't exactly what one would call an ordinary relationship didn't mean squat to the blonde.


	3. Figuring It Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May the shenanigans begin. Thanks to everyone who has commented and left kudos thus far. Hope I don't disappoint.

Starting off day one of being a three person couple thing went... well, pretty much exactly like Yang imagined it would in those few hours before sleep claimed her the night before. Rather than waiting for the harsh note from Ruby's whistle to start her day, the blonde woke up first and carefully climbed out of bed, pressing a kiss to her girlfriends' cheeks first to rouse them from slumber and then one to the lips once they were coherent.

Blake practically purred in contentment while Weiss let out a pleased hum, the two exchanging a mumbled good morning and a kiss while Yang tried not to bounce beside them. The moment they separated, the blonde wrapped one arm around each waist, pulling them in to sneak in a few more kisses, much to their amusement. Unfortunately, there was a slight... damper on what Yang thought to be an excellent start to the day.

"Ugh, yeah, we're going to have to set some ground rules about this." Ruby stuck her head out, eyeing them warily. "I'm not sure I can handle waking up to _this_ every day."

"Aw, Rubes!" Yang whined, releasing her girlfriends to hop up, crossing her arms and laying her head atop them, resting on the somewhat unstable mattress of her sister's bed. Sure, she couldn't pull of the puppy dog pout to the same effect as her little sister, but Ruby had to learn it from somewhere! "Good morning kisses are the _best_ way to wake up! Have a heart."

"Yang." Blake warned, appearing beside her, though she was much more careful about how much weight she rested against the feat of questionable engineering. "If it makes Ruby uncomfortable, we should limit ourselves to outside of the room-"

"Blakey!"

"That would be a... _very_ harsh restriction," Weiss said, prompting her girlfriends to look back and notice the blush suffusing her cheeks. She was biting her bottom lip and looking anywhere but towards Ruby's bed. "Actually, we probably should have a discussion about... public displays of affection."

Yang's gaze swung to Blake, who seemed equally concerned, and then to Ruby. While her sister might have some objections, she also cared about her partner and didn't like seeing the heiress upset. Thanks to years of non-verbal sisterly communication, the two siblings were able to get their points across with a series of facial expressions and a final, simultaneous nod before Ruby ducked back into the safety of her blanket tent, turning her back to the rest of the room. Yang immediately hopped down, Blake hot on her heels, and scooped Weiss into her arms, the Faunus appearing on the other side to suspend their girlfriend between them like after the rollercoaster. They received only a squeak of surprise in response before a shy smile spread over her lips.

"Are you not comfortable with being affectionate in public, Princess?" Blake spoke softly, nuzzling into the pale column of the heiress' neck.

"Not quite." She mumbled, her voice stronger with the very next words from her mouth. "I'm not ashamed of you- _either_ of you." Blue eyes darted between them, pleading with them to believe her. Which, of course they did. "I just can't- I'm not sure if I- it's just... difficult."

Her shoulders slumped slightly as she finished and Yang chuckled, pressing a kiss to her temple.

The blonde didn't take it personal, of course not. Weiss had come a long way from the prissy, stuck up, stick in the mud brat they'd met on the first day at Beacon, but some things didn't just disappear overnight. Yang was well aware that she was now in a relationship with two people who had a history of really bad communication skills; all that meant was that she'd have to do a better job of listening.

"It's fine, Princess. Really." Both of her girlfriends looked at her. "No mushy stuff out in public." Her brows rose. "But, um, for clarification's sake, last night was...?"

"In an area without a direct line of sight from the dormitories and with no one else around," the heiress immediately replied, lowering her gaze to her hands as soon as the words left her mouth. "Just... something I noticed one day, so it seemed appropriate."

Amber eyes caught her attention, a familiar smirk on the Faunus' lips. "She put some thought into last night."

"It's too early in the morning to deal with either of you being insufferable." Weiss muttered, a blush staining her pale cheeks again.

Yang chuckled, craning her neck slightly to meet those beautiful, icy blue eyes. "Hey, it's okay. Outside of the room, around people is a no-no. I can handle that."

"We both can." Blake assured.

"And, in the room, no funny business without giving Ruby time to hide."

"Thank you!" Though slightly muffled, their team leader's voice carried a surprising amount of gratefulness.

"Alright, does that about cover it?" The blonde grinned, surprised when Blake frowned slightly.

"What about when it's just two of us?" The Faunus looked between her girlfriends, ears drooping slightly. "There will be times when all three of us aren't together."

For a moment, they were silent, each deep in thought. For Yang, the answer was absurdly simple but she refrained from voicing it immediately. She tried to look at things from her girlfriends' perspective; if there was one thing she _really_ didn't want to do, it was upset them by being careless in how she worded her answer.

"Personally, I don't mind." Her voice and face were completely serious for a change, looking between the two. "Of course I'd _prefer_ to be with you two, but if circumstances keep us apart, it's okay if you two are affectionate with each other when I'm not around." She flashed them a wide grin. "Besides, you both are so adorable and kissable! It wouldn't be fair to hold it against you two."

"I feel much the same. I don't mind," her partner said, turning amber eyes on the shorter woman between them. "Yang and I will likely spend a lot of time together because we're partners and I'm certain neither of us wants you to feel left out."

"I'm aware and I'm okay with that." The heiress' lips quirked into a small grin. "I'm sure I'll let _both_ of you know if I begin to feel neglected." Weiss' gaze dropped as did her smile, curling in on herself slightly. "However, I would like to be informed if things... move further, in my absence."

Yang and Blake exchanged a look before the Faunus spoke. "Don't worry, Princess, we'll take this slow." She brushed a reassuring kiss against Weiss' cheek. "And any developments will be talked about beforehand, provided _someone_ doesn't jump the gun."

The blonde became highly aware of two sets of eyes directed at her, one amber and the other blue. "Why do both of you look at _me_ when you say that?"

"Because _you_ have a history of charging forward without thinking about the consequences," the heiress immediately replied, her other girlfriend's continued stare agreement enough.

All things considered, Yang thought she was doing rather _stellar_ in the self restraint category, but she conceded that they did have a point. She'd probably need to keep in mind that what _she_ considered restrained might not be quite the same definition as either of her girlfriends, so she nodded in acquiescence and smiled. Really, she wasn't upset about being singled out; it just meant she had a heads up to avoid making a mistake later down the road.

As if being rewarded for admitting that much, Weiss carefully moved her arms, circling the shoulders of her girlfriends and bringing them all closer together. Yang hadn't given it much thought before but she was kinda super happy that the heiress was so light; she felt like she could keep the shorter woman in her arms like this forever, especially with Blake within kissing distance.

And, yes, that was a totally legit way of measuring distance. The best way, if she had anything to say about it.

"Still hiding over here, by the way." Ruby not-so-gently reminded them.

Rolling her eyes, Yang winked at Blake and leaned in, pressing one last kiss to the heiress' cheek in tandem with the Faunus. The moment she could, Weiss turned her head and gave them both kisses before being gently lowered to ground. With her girlfriends smiling, an extra little sparkle in their eyes, Yang clambered back over to his sister's bed, leaving them to gather their supplies and start getting ready for the day.

"It's safe now, Rubes." She waited until Ruby rolled over before giving her a bright smiles. "Thanks for being cool about this."

"I'm happy for you, Yang, really, all of you." The younger sibling frowned slightly, offering an awkward shrug. "It's just... weird, ya know? Seeing my big sis kiss my partner and my friend."

"I get that but I'm just so darn happy!" She glanced over her shoulder, watching her girlfriends exit the room, no longer stiff and awkward around each other. "I'll try to tone it down, promise."

"I think 'try' is the most important part of that sentence." Ruby eyed her suspiciously, receiving a scoff and getting her hair ruffled for her trouble.

As Yang dropped down to the floor again, she couldn't help but hum a little tune to herself. Yeah, she had been looking forward to Saturday for Blake's sake since convincing the heiress into the carnival, but seeing how everything worked out for the way better, today promised to be several layers of awesome and she just couldn't wait!

* * *

Conspicuously, Ruby took an absurdly long time in the bathroom that morning, not that her team was complaining much. Seeing as they had the room to themselves, the three had decided to sit on the Faunus' bed, leaning back against the wall with Yang in the middle, Weiss curled into her left side and Blake on her right. Both of her girlfriends were resting their heads on her shoulders, allowing her to run her fingers along Weiss' arm and around Blake's bow. Their clasped hands rested on her stomach, a gentle pressure that acted as a counterpoint to her wandering fingers. Each time she found a sensitive spot, one hand would subtly clench, the other responding in kind a moment later.

Yang smiled so wide it was beginning to hurt. She could get _real_ used to this. Heck, she could probably sit through- and actually listen to- each and every exaggerated story Professor Port had if this was what she had to look forward to at the end of it. Best reward, period.

Then the door opened and all three of them jolted apart, blushes rising in her girlfriends' cheeks while the blonde hissed in annoyance. In her haste to withdraw her arms, she'd accidentally smacked them against the bottom of her own bunk. She lightly rubbed at the minor abrasions for a moment before Weiss and Blake took over, offering small smiles and watching as their team leader entered the room.

Ruby paused at the doorway, blinking a few times before realization seemed to kick in. "Oh... I guess I should've specified. I'm okay with cuddling and stuff, just not my sister turning into a lamprey."

Yang frowned while Blake and Weiss tried- poorly, in her opinion- to conceal their amusement. "Hey! Don't compare me to some bottom feeding fish!"

"Wait a minute." Uh oh. Blake had that smirk, the one that promised evil, evil things. "If I understand you correctly, you aren't keen on seeing _Yang_ kiss. Weiss and I, on the other hand..."

Lilac eyes widened slightly, noting that both of her girlfriends had a distinctly mischievous glint to their eyes. For their sake, she played along, shooting her sister a very poorly faked look of desperation.

Of course, her sibling read her like a book. "Yeah, that's fine with me."

Good little sister.

Feigning a groan of disappointment, Yang ignored the conspiratorial winks her girlfriends exchanged. "Rubes! Why!"

Picking a piece of lint off her cloak, Ruby merely smiled.

Yang leaned back, pretending to pout and waited... and waited... and waited... okay, so her patience lasted about twenty seconds. "Aren't you two going to torment me by kissing when I'm clearly not allowed to join?"

"Of course not." Blake assured her, reclaiming her spot on the blonde's shoulder.

"That would be exceedingly rude." Weiss continued, doing the same but pausing before she fully settled. "Plus, that's what you _want_ us to do."

"This does far more to drive you up the wall." The Faunus offered nonchalantly, angling her head just right so the silk covering her cat ears could lazily brush against the blonde's jaw.

Right. She just _had_ to fall for the super smart ones capable of seeing through her tricks. Groaning as her plan was foiled, Yang perked up almost immediately, resituating her arms around the two and glancing at Ruby for approval.

Initially, she was given a thumbs up- "Hey, Ruby!" -and it quickly shifted into a thumbs down.

"Oh, hey Jaune!" Being the super awesome sister she was, Ruby immediately stepped up to block entrance to their room, keeping the leader of team JNPR back. "You're up early!"

"Well, yeah, I was thinking about going down to the carnival." Yang gave her girlfriends a curious look as they slowly drew away. Really, the blonde was watching Weiss' reaction, seeing as there was very little RWBY kept secret from their friends, but they hadn't quite specifically defined what constituted 'public' either. "Is... Weiss around? 'Cause I was wondering if she'd like to, uh, you know... go with me?"

The heiress put her face in her hands and quietly groaned.

Now, to be fair, Yang sympathized with the guy to some extent. She really did. But now, he was talking about one of _her_ girlfriends, so that sympathy was running dry, and by the looks of it, she wasn't the only one feeling like that.

After exchanging a quick glance with Blake, the trio got up- one reluctant while the other two were a bit more... invested- and went to the door.

"Rubes, give us a minute?" She flashed her sister a smile that promised they wouldn't be _too_ hard on the poor guy, which got a slow nod from their team leader. As the door to their room closed, three sets of eyes focused on Jaune, who was pleasantly oblivious to the potential world of hurt about to be rained down upon him.

"Hey, Weiss, uh-" He looked between the three of them. "And Blake, and Yang. Um, is there any way..."

"No." The Ice Queen persona was back in full force as Weiss leveled a hard glare at the man before her. "No, Jaune, I _don't_ want to go to the carnival with you and I'm _not_ interested in you. When are you going to get that through your thick skull?"

"Weiss." Blake warned, putting a hand on the shorter woman's shoulder.

While the Faunus tempered their girlfriend's harshness, Yang offered him one of her bright smiles. "What she means, Jaune, is that you're a great guy and all, just not her type."

"And I would greatly appreciate you respecting that." The heiress offered in a more civil tone.

"Well, maybe I can change?" Jaune offered, his spirits seeming to rise after momentarily deflating. She had to hand it to the guy; he certainly didn't go down without a fight.

"I highly doubt that." Weiss sighed, rubbing her temple briefly before looking between Blake and Yang. "Perhaps you two could explain our... arrangement in terms he'll understand? Quietly?"

Lilac eyes met amber and they both nodded.

"Sure."

"Of course."

Without another word, Weiss ducked back into team RWBY's room, leaving Jaune dealing with the two partners and looking utterly confused. Thankfully, Blake took the lead.

"First, obviously Weiss is uncomfortable with this being common knowledge, but you're our friend." The Faunus gave him a small smile. "A little discretion would be appreciated."

He blinked. "So... don't tell Nora?"

"Exactly," the partners replied in unison, with Yang continuing. "Don't get us wrong, we like Nora, she just tends to lack volume control, especially when she rambles and gossips."

"Yeah, Ren's working with her on that. I think. I really can't tell with them, sometimes." He shrugged, awkwardly scratching at the back of his neck. "There's... someone else, isn't there?" And there's the kicked puppy look. Yang internally winced; if this wasn't utterly necessary, she really would've preferred leaving the dude in the dark. "Who is it?"

"Us," Blake replied, a goofy little smile breaking through the weight of the admission.

And, wow, did it take all of the blonde's self control not to laugh at the expression that quickly took over Jaune's face. Not that she was laughing _at_ him, exactly, but... just... his reaction was pretty funny, the perfect mix of confusion and awe- she couldn't blame him, really, because he was most likely picturing three very attractive women together and that mental image got _her_ a little hot under the collar, too. Course, she was one of those very attractive women, so... ahem, anyway.

"You... two... all three of you?" He blinked, trying valiantly to be the decent, upstanding guy he was at heart and nearly failing. After a moment further of trying to compute the information, something registered to him, breaking through the conflicting emotions playing across his face as he honed in on it. "Oh, she's _gay_!"

Yup, she tried to resist and failed, slapping a palm to her face in sync with Blake's groan.

Actually, this was probably as good as they were going to get. Jaune was a great guy but dense was putting it mildly, _especially_ in matters of the heart.

"You got it, Casanova. She's gay." The blonde set her hands on her hips and smiled. "So, we'd really appreciate you, ya know, laying off."

"Oh, no, I understand." The man raised his hands in the universal gesture of surrender. "I just wish I'd known she wasn't interested!"

Okay, she might _actually_ kill him out of sheer frustration. Like, seriously, _how did he not get it before_?

"We appreciate your cooperation, Jaune." Blake saved her from a homicide charge, offering a small smile. "We were planning on going to the carnival today anyway. Maybe we'll see you and the rest of team JNPR there?"

Not one to miss out on an opportunity, the blonde instantly shot him a teasing smirk. "Yeah, especially if you bring a certain redhead, we could be a big, happy, group- ow!"

She frowned at her partner, who'd elbowed her in the side rather hard.

"You know what, that's a great idea!" Jaune seemed to perk up almost instantly. "We can make it a team outing!"

"Kinda like a double da- ow! Blakey, why so _mean_?" That time, the Faunus actually pinched her ear. Uncool.

Her partner merely rolled her eyes and bid farewell to Jaune, waiting until he was back in his room before leveling a hard amber eyed stare her direction. "Yang, stop it."

"I was just trying to help!" The blonde raised a brow while retrieving her scroll. "And, hold up, wasn't it _my_ wonderful idea that got us into this 'arrangement' in the first place? I didn't see you two complaining then!" She even used little air quotes for Weiss' word choice before unlocking the door, only to find Weiss a bit red faced on the other side. "Maybe if I worked a little magic, Pyrrha could benefit from my awesome match making skills!"

Her girlfriends exchanged a quick glance before the heiress spoke up, crossing her arms over her chest.

"That's a horrible idea, Yang, for two reasons." She held up one finger. "One being that your 'skills' should only be used _when asked for help_ , which is an important part of how things played out, if I might remind you." Okay, fair point. The heiress held up a second finger. "And, two, your 'match making skills' somehow landed the _three of us_ in a polyamorous relationship." Weiss looked away. "Not that I'm complaining but I'm fairly certain I will _not_ be okay with adding _more_ people to this in the foreseeable future. If ever."

The blonde tilted her head slightly, studying her girlfriends' postures. They both looked a tad on the uneasy side. "What are you talking about?"

"Yang, you _have_ been spending a lot of time with Pyrrha." The Faunus pointed out, carefully keeping her voice neutral in that 'I don't want to upset you but I'm kinda upset about it' way she occasionally used.

"Sparring, supposedly." Weiss continued, pointedly looking elsewhere.

Well, yeah, of course she had; Nora and Ren were great sparring partners and all but neither of them could go toe-to-toe with- oh, wait a minute, this wasn't about sparring at all, was it? Crap, she should've seen this coming.

Which would've been hard to do considering she woke up yesterday resigned to never having a shot at the two in her arms. Still, after consciously reminding herself to look at things from her girlfriends' perspective, she probably shouldn't have left so much ambiguity in her previous comments.

Okay, she needed to do some damage control. Even if it wasn't her intention, maybe she shouldn't be making light of the considerable risk they were all taking together. Blake and Weiss took time to open up and really feel secure, and the first full day in a new and very... unconventional relationship was probably too early to be vague about damn near anything. Even if she was only joking, it would make her feel bad to imply that she wasn't taking their feelings into consideration.

Teasing had limits, after all.

"I think I misspoke, earlier," she said finally, reaching out to pull both Blake and Weiss in close to her, an arm around each waist. "I've got my hands full as is, so I'm _definitely_ not thinking of adding to the equation, if that's what you two are worried about." She turned her head to catch her sister's silver gaze. "Uh, can you pick a corner real quick?"

"Are you serious?" She cocked a brow. "Oh, fine."

Lightly complaining just so they wouldn't forget about her this time, Ruby turned her back on them and wholly focused her attention on her scroll, giving Yang the go ahead in the form of a wave over her shoulder.

Without wasting a moment, the blonde ducked her head to draw Weiss into a slow kiss before moving to Blake, gently reassuring them. Her girlfriends smiled gently, stealing a kiss between themselves as she splayed her hand across their hips, marveling at how different they felt briefly before violently shifting her focus back to the right track.

Focus, she needed to focus. Daydreams could wait until later.

"I wasn't implying anything about our relationship, you two. I just sympathize with Pyrrha; we _have_ been sparring, but she's also been talking to me about how she can't seem to get the dude's attention. Jaune's pretty thick headed, if you haven't noticed." The heiress just shot her a flat 'no shit' look while Blake grinned slightly. "I just like to see everyone happy. Jaune makes Pyrrha happy and Pyrrha can make _Jaune_ happy, but _you two_ make _me_ happy. And each other happy, which also makes me happy, so, we're _super_ happy, right?"

Blake indulged her, chuckling and nuzzling into her neck while Weiss huffed and pretended to require further convincing. Yang, of course, was all too happy to provide that in the form of shifting the arm around her waist a bit lower and lifting her up. She got an initial gasp of shock but Weiss settled as soon as she caught on, draping an arm around the blonde's shoulders and looking down upon Yang with a vaguely amused smirk.

"So, are we good?" She looked between ice blue and amber. "Are we super happy?"

"Happy, yes." The Faunus winked at her and the blonde was _definitely_ enjoying flirty Blake. "Super, we'll work on."

"I'm sure you'll approve of our plans for improvement." Weiss added, lightly running her fingers through golden locks and _wow_ that felt awesome.

She might have to rethink her regular grooming habits.

Yang frowned suddenly, somehow remembering something relatively important and not entirely pleased about it. "While we're on the topic, though- other people butting in on our relationship and whatnot- I guess I should mention that Neptune and Sun will probably be looking for you two today."

She quickly recounted her efforts to deter the duo the day before, looking between her girlfriends for how they reacted. She didn't expect to get reprimanded- and she shouldn't, because _hello_ , she obviously did good, what was there to complain about?- but she wasn't really sure how to deal with the suave knuckleheads now.

Weiss cringed while Blake whined, both of them pressing closer to her as they lamented previous decisions.

"I just _knew_ he was going to take that the wrong way." The Faunus mumbled, bow twitching slightly as she shrunk under her girlfriends' curious stares. "I... might have mentioned that I liked Sun's abs." She quickly amended, a slight bit of panic infecting her tone. "What I _meant_ was that I wish I had a six pack."

"You with a six pack?" Instantly, the blonde's gaze drifted down to Blake's exposed midriff and she licked her lips, earning her a flick to her ear from Weiss. "Ah! I mean- but I like your flat tummy." Another flick. "Ack! You'd look good with a six pack!" _Another flick._ "Seriously!" She turned a playful glare at her other girlfriend, hissing out through gritted teeth. "What's the right answer then?"

"She's perfect however she chooses to be, you oaf!" Weiss rather loudly whispered back, while furiously trying to pretend like she wasn't blushing. "Now stop salivating like a hound over a steak!"

"There's nothing wrong with appreciating how beautiful you two are." Yang grumbled but turned her attention back to the Faunus before the argument could continue. "So, we should let him down easy is what you're saying?"

"He's a good friend I'd rather not lose." Blake nuzzled into her neck again, reaching up to hold Weiss' hand and press a soft kiss to it. "But that's _all_ he is."

"Then we'll simply explain that." The heiress waved off the questioning looks she received. "Neptune and I expressed a mutual interest out of nothing more than propriety. I highly doubt he'll take it too personally when we explain that I'm already spoken for. Twice over, in fact."

Yang and Blake exchanged a look. The blonde was pretty sure things wouldn't be _quite_ that easy but, as long as they were all on the same page, they could deal with whatever fallout awaited them. It wasn't like they could really plan this out- okay, being realistic, Yang was probably going to be doing most of the talking, so it wasn't like _she_ was going to plan anything out.

"Still in the corner over here."

Yang winced. Oops.

"Sorry, sis, you're good!"

"Is this going to be a regular thing? Leaving your poor team leader all on her lonesome to wither away from hunger?" The younger woman melodramatically sighed, shoulders slumping. "Because if so, I'm not okay with this."

"Aw, come on, Rubes, we're still getting the hang of this!" Yang smiled at her girlfriends before- somewhat reluctantly- letting them go so everyone could leave the room and head down to the cafeteria for breakfast. They had a whole day to enjoy the carnival, so they might as well grab food before heading down there. "Give us a little time to learn the ropes!"

Silver eyes narrowed as Ruby puffed up her cheeks, looking all the world like she was about to throw a tantrum. Subconsciously, the blonde braced for what she feared was coming.

Of course, it was just a fake out, her bright smile returning just as she made for the door. "Yeah, you're right. So, I can get cookies for breakfast, right?"

"Oh, no you don't," Weiss said, reaching out and grabbing her partner's hood. "You aren't going to spoil you diet by eating nothing but sugar first thing in the morning. _Especially_ when we're going to spend all day outdoors, walking around."

Yang snickered as the heiress continued her lecture, following the two out with Blake at her side. She opened her mouth to start teasing but was elbowed in the gut again.

"Before you provoke her, you might want to remember that Ruby still holds veto power on where we can kiss." The Faunus spoke softly, making sure neither of their teammates could hear her.

Damn. "Fine. But, in a week, when she's used to it, it's game on!" They were silent a few more steps. "So... were you serious about the six pack thing?"

"Yang!"

"Oh, _come on_ , Princess! It was just a question!"

"I don't know. What do you think, Weiss?" Blake smirked, lifting her arms to clasp her hands behind her head, causing her shirt to ride up a little more. "Would I look better with a little... definition?"

Yang's gaze bounced between Blake's little display and Weiss' reaction- a blush rising in her cheeks as that blue eyed gaze lingered, mouth working without sound. Finally, the heiress turned around and stiffly walked down the corridor without giving an answer while the Faunus merely chuckled, low and teasing.

"Aren't you going to answer her?" The blonde whined, earning a sputtered deflection from one girlfriend and a throaty laugh from the other.

 _These two_ were going to be the death of her, she swore... and she wouldn't even complain about it!

Much.

* * *

Stepping onto the street holding the festival on Saturday was much, _much_ more awesome than Friday. Partly because they had all day to just meander around and do whatever but mainly because it didn't have the bittersweet tang of the day before. Sure, she couldn't throw her arms around her girlfriends' shoulders or waists like she wanted to- a carnival probably was a bit too public for Weiss' tastes and, though Blake might be okay with some open affection, she didn't want to favor one girlfriend over the other- but they were still there _together_ , and occasionally Yang would feel one or the other lay a hand on her arm to get her attention, pointing out a game they wanted to try or pointing out 'wholly inappropriate safety oversights'.

Secretly, she made it a mission to get Weiss on another rollercoaster, and sit in the middle this time. Oh, that would be _great_!

But, for now, she needed a distraction. "Hey, Rubes, when's your _friend_ showing up?"

Her sister practically tripped over her own feet, offering a nervous smile that actually seemed fewer parts excited and more parts sincerely anxious than the blonde was anticipating.

"Oh, uh, well, I'm not sure? Maybe, soon, I guess, um." Oh, she was stalling, _bad_. This could only mean one thing.

Setting her hands on her hips, Yang pulled out her seldom used 'I'm your big sister and you will listen to me' tone. "Ruby Rose, what _aren't_ you telling us?"

This seemed to pique her girlfriends' attention, Blake opting for the silent support route while Weiss leveled a 'you are my partner, now fess up' glare at their team leader. Ruby, of course, could handle a pack of beowolves better than the scrutiny of her teammates, breaking out in a sweat and holding up her hands to ward off the impending attack.

"Well, uh, I guess I should mention that you've already, um, met her. You know, before?"

Yang raised a brow. "Her?" Weiss and Blake snapped their gazes to her in surprise. They were _absurdly_ jumpy today. "Hey, I'm not objecting! Just surprised, that's all. She didn't correct us yesterday when we assumed it was a guy."

"If I _had_ , you would've badgered me into telling you yesterday and, let's be honest, you three had bigger issues to talk about." Ruby pointed out to muttered agreements from her teammates and sister. "But, anyway, uh... don't freak out?"

"Why would we-"

"Salutations!"

"- what the!" Yang jumped and whirled around, caught off guard by the volume and proximity rather than the greeting itself. Doing so brought her face-to-face with a familiar little ginger with shining green eyes. "Oh, Penny! Hey! Haven't... seen you around, really, what's up?"

Penny glanced up. "Currently, the sky, mostly clear with a few clouds. There's a chance of rain later today in the form of scattered showers, though."

And with that odd misunderstanding, the blonde remembered why she thought the young woman was so weird during their initial meeting. And every subsequent meeting, truth be told. Really, there was just something off about her that Yang couldn't put her finger on but, then again, who was she to judge?

"Penny, that's not what Yang meant," Ruby said, prompting the blonde to glance back at her sister and do a double take. Rather than Weiss' exasperation or Blake's idle curiosity, their team leader was sporting a vaguely familiar, dumb little grin, much like the one Yang imagined herself wearing throughout most of last night.

_Oh._

"Wait, _Penny_ is your girlfriend?" Yang hiked a thumb at the young woman in question, ignoring her girlfriends' muttered comments on how rude it was. There were more important matters than manners at the moment.

"Well, uh, it's kinda..." Ruby trailed off, pressing her fingers together nervously while still wearing that dumb little grin. Which, of course, left the job of clarification to the very young woman in question.

"I am relationship ready!" Okay, the conviction shining in her green eyes at that simple declaration was more than a little cute, Yang could admit that much. "However, Ruby has explained that we should take things slow since neither of us have been in a romantic relationship before." Penny supplied, smiling innocently despite the very specific explanation and, if Yang wasn't so keen on getting the answers, the blonde might've had half a mind to be somewhat perturbed. Then again, Ruby wasn't denying anything said, merely blushing harder and pointedly refusing to meet her sister's gaze, so at least _one_ of them seemed levelheaded about this. "We have decided to try dating prior to moving further in the pursuit of a relationship."

Yang narrowed her eyes. "How many dates have you two been on, exactly?"

"Yang!" Ruby whined, obviously embarrassed.

"This will be our very first official date!" Penny smiled a little wider. "Ruby was very adamant about properly explaining our intentions to you before proceeding."

The blonde nodded, setting her mouth into a hard line and squaring her shoulders. "Look, Penny, I know you say you can fight-"

"I _am_ combat ready!"

"-yeah. That. Anyway, Ruby tends to get into a lot of trouble, if you haven't noticed."

"Hey!"

Penny looked thoughtful for a brief moment. "I estimate the involvement of law enforcement, criminals, or other potentially volatile elements in approximately ninety-five percent of our interactions."

Well, that sounded about right, no matter how much her sister protested the accusation.

"So, if you two are out on a date, I need to be reasonably certain you'll be able to help her get out of whatever trouble she's managed to land you two in, okay?"

"Why does she make it seem like I _try_ to do this to myself?" Ruby lightly complained in the background.

Weiss was having none of it. "Might I remind you how _we_ first met? If it's _not_ an active effort on your part, you rightly _should_ come with a warning label."

"Caution: presence may result in explosions." Blake deadpanned, much to their team leader's chagrin. "Have first aid ready."

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? You two are going to take _her_ side every time?"

"Yang." Penny's brows furrowed, suddenly entirely too serious for such a bright girl. "Ruby is first and foremost my friend. I will do whatever is required to protect her from anyone trying to hurt her."

The blonde grinned, flexing her fingers. They hadn't really done much combat training that week and she _did_ have Ember Celica around her wrists as usual. She might as well test to make sure this slightly odd ball of cheer was good enough to defend herself against some of the knuckleheads they ran into with startling frequency.

Before she could suggest as much, a hand on her shoulder brought her attention to the amber eyed gaze of one of her girlfriends.

"I know what you're thinking and, trust me, she's capable." Blake nodded towards Penny. "She pulled an airship out of the sky when we faced Torchwick at the docks."

The blonde arched a brow and accepted the rather impressive feat as fact. The Faunus had no reason to lie to her, after all. Then Weiss was at her other side.

"Besides, we'll be close by if anything happens today." She offered a small grin to her partner. "Why not let things run their course?"

Yang frowned slightly, evaluating Penny again. Far be it for her to be picky about her sister's taste in romantic partners but not _getting_ whatever set the ginger apart kinda bugged her. She also hadn't spent much time with the young woman to really gauge her personality very well, so maybe she was jumping the gun on that.

Plus, if Ruby was sufficiently distracted and they managed to find somewhere a bit more private...

"Okay, Penny, I guess I have no objections. But!" She wagged a finger. "No kissing!"

The ginger looked at her for a moment, apparently perplexed, before responding in a somewhat affronted tone. "With respect, that is not your decision to make."

Weiss and Blake stiffened at her sides, the blonde frowning slightly as her big sister instincts kicked into overdrive. "Then whose decision is it?"

"Ruby's," Penny replied without missing a beat.

Okay, the blonde was hoping for but not expecting that answer, and the surprise showed. "Not yours?"

"No." She smiled. "I trust Ruby will inform me of any changes in her opinion but she currently does not want to kiss. Therefore, if a change occurs, it will be Ruby's decision to do so."

"If I'm not standing in a corner, I'm dying of embarrassment." The youngest of them lamented. "Worst. Day. Ever."

"Well, I guess you passed the test then!" Yang smiled wide.

Penny blinked. "Will I be receiving the results of this test?"

"Uh..." What was _with_ this chick?

"Don't worry about it, Penny, let's just... go... do something. _Anything_." Ruby brushed past the trio to grab the ginger's sleeve, sticking her tongue out at the blonde as she did so- a gesture Yang was sure to return.

As the duo set off, the blonde noticed Weiss looking off to the side, apparently lost in thought. "Princess?"

The heiress returned to the present from wherever her mind had gone, offering a shy smile to her girlfriends. "I, uh, was just thinking about what it would be like... introducing you two to my sister."

She and Blake exchanged a surprised glance. Out of the three of them to broach the 'introduce my two girlfriends to my family' discussion, they expected Weiss to be dead last in the running, especially given how hesitant she was regarding public affection. "Well? How do you think it'd go?"

Weiss' cringe was all the answer they needed.

"Almost makes me thankful I'm an only child." The Faunus muttered.

"Hey!" The three of them looked up to see Ruby and Penny watching them curiously. "Are you three coming?"

Well... given the circumstances, the obvious joke was just _too_ easy. So easy, in fact, both of her girlfriends recognized it and instantly shot her discouraging looks.

Internally groaning, Yang promised herself that she'd get them to ease up on their restrictive definition of humor at some point in their relationship. Just not today.

"Yeah, wait up." Reaching down- and figuring the action itself was platonic enough to get away with- the blonde grabbed her girlfriends' hands, flashing them her brightest smile. When she received smiles in response, she squeezed their hands reassuringly and set off.

Idly, she wondered if it still counted as a 'double date' if one half was a couple and the other was a... three person relationship.

She also considered finding the right word for whatever they'd gotten themselves into, at some point. Weiss probably knew but asking her at the moment would surely send her into a sputtering mess.

Later, then, when she could properly enjoy it.


	4. Pushing Boundaries

They started off walking the whole length of the carnival, making idle chatter and settling down from a rather... interesting morning. Although Ruby glowered at her occasionally when she offered up a teasing remark to the mostly oblivious Penny (seriously, what was with this kid?), her little sister was beaming brightly as the two admired the various trinkets up for winning (none of them were better than the ones they'd won the night before) and the rides (hearing Penny deconstruct each and every structural integrity flaw was slightly amusing just for Weiss' reaction, but probably killed her chances of getting the heiress on another ride).

Yang, Blake, and Weiss hung back a bit, allowing the young couple to lead the way. Although the blonde was pleasantly surprised, neither of her girlfriends had withdrawn their hand. Sure, no one seemed to bat an eye at three friends walking hand-in-hand down the street, but she expected Weiss' nerves to get the better of her at some point. Lo and behold, the heiress was completely at ease, wearing a self-satisfied grin and occasionally squeezing the hand in hers, though she kept shooting furtive glances Blake's way.

Hmmm, she probably shouldn't hog the middle spot all day. Not to say she wouldn't _love to_ , of course, but it would be kinda unfair... and just randomly switching positions might draw too much attention for platonic purposes.

Time for a foolproof plan!

"Whoa, check _that_ out!" Yang suddenly broke away, heading over to one of the 'shooting gallery' booths. It was a relatively simple set up- a bunch of pump action pellet guns and four continuous rows of targets moving at varying speeds to provide some difficulty- and not really up her alley but, seeing as she snatched up the gun on the far left, it would suit her purposes just fine. "Bet I can get the high score!"

"Yang, your idea of marksmanship requires direct contact." The heiress pointed out with a flip of her long hair. "I'm not sure you're best suited to a contest of this nature."

"Which is her super polite way of saying you're going _down_!" Ruby piped up, shooting her a grin from the other side of the booth.

Thankfully, her sister was either smart enough to see what she was doing- which she wouldn't put past the little ball of sunshine- or just had the sense enough to leave all the spots between them open. Penny, naturally, took up the spot next to Ruby, while Weiss opted for the one next to Yang. Blake was left in the middle of the group but, considering the smile she shot Weiss and Yang, didn't seem too upset by this placement in the slightest.

The stall's attendant waddled over, explaining the scoring system and collecting their lien without a fuss. Then, they were free to shoot, and Yang had to admit it was a little tougher than it looked. Apparently, air propelled projectiles didn't have the same accuracy as those with a higher velocity, which meant a few shots went wildly off course, prompting a muttered curse from the blonde. It certainly didn't help that she didn't take much time between each trigger pull, burning through her ammo much quicker than everyone else.

At the end of thirty pellets, the blonde only managed to score thirteen points.

Bummer.

"Your choices for prizes are here, here, aaaand over here." The attended pointed them out, obviously trying to hide his amusement.

Screw it, she wasn't trying to win anything anyway. But...

"Uh, can I get that? The white one?" He gave her an odd look but did as she asked. It was only fair, though she kinda wished she could've got something of a little better quality.

As the man handed over a white, sequined tiara, he shot a disapproving look somewhere over her shoulder. Yang turned to follow his gaze and nearly groaned aloud; there, standing a little slack jawed and wide eyed, were Neptune and Sun. Great, just what she wanted to deal with so early in the day. Honestly, she was hoping they wouldn't run into the two love-struck teens until the late afternoon.

That didn't explain why the guy was glaring at them, though... until the blonde realized what _they_ were looking at.

Because the two were being more practical and sensible about the shooting gallery, Weiss and Blake were resting their elbows on the platform the guns were previously laying on, stabilizing their positions. Of course, seeing as the platform was rather on the low side, this meant both of them had to _lean over_ a bit to achieve that, and while Blake had to do so more because of her height, Weiss was wearing a skirt.

A frown claimed her lips, anger beginning to boil just under the surface as she forced herself to keep a lid on it. Part of it was that they were staring at _her_ girlfriends and, regardless of how little known the fact was, it was still something that kinda ticked her off. The _majority_ of it, however, stemmed from the fact that it was Blake and Weiss that were being ogled; despite the heiress' claim earlier that morning, the blonde was very good about not objectifying people. Sure, she might be a bit more... appreciative than absolutely necessary, but if she was going to stare, she at least had the courtesy to let the person she was admiring know that she was doing so.

Filled with righteous fury and doing everything in her power to hold that back, Yang tucked her prize into her belt and moved to obstruct their view, crossing her arms over her chest as they snapped out of their stupor and returned her scowl with looks of varying hostility. Neptune looked a bit miffed while Sun's expression was closer to confused and she had no doubt her own eyes were a shade or two shy of burning red.

"Yo, Yang, what's up?" At least the Faunus was trying to be somewhat sociable.

Neptune, on the other hand... no. "Yeah, did you intentionally stand us up last night or was that an 'accident'?"

Either the blue haired man didn't notice the subtle flex in her arms or he was really intent on pushing her buttons; Yang clamped down on her immediate response regardless. Her girlfriends were very clear: they liked these two as friends, so she couldn't very well punch them in the face and kick them to the curb. She had to play nice.

Easier said than done, presently.

"Nep, don't be like that."

"It's alright, Sun." The blonde forced a light tone, favoring them with a small smile. "To answer your question, team bonding ran a little late and I... kinda forgot. My bad."

Taking the blame was... actually, totally accurate in this case. So, really, she wasn't _lying_ to them. Just... withholding certain parts of the truth in accordance with her girlfriends' wishes. That's all.

"It's fine! It's _totally_ cool," Sun replied, his tail curling happily behind him as he good naturedly bumped his friend's shoulder. "That just means we have _all day_ today!"

No, no it doesn't, and Yang silently prayed at least one of her girlfriends would arrive to save her from this incredibly tense conversation before something horrible happened. Because at the rate they were going, she was _definitely_ going to lose her cool dealing with these fools.

Neptune hummed in thought before smiling, the severe line of his shoulders dropping as he relaxed. "Yeah, you're right. All day to spend with my little Snow Angel."

Her fingers were digging into the skin of her upper arms so hard she was sure her blunt fingernails would draw blood and she was grinding her teeth nearly hard enough to chip them in order to keep from saying anything. Either Weiss had _severely_ underestimated Neptune's infatuation with her or he was entirely delusional. It didn't matter. It could've been her overprotective streak rearing its head again, or a touch of newly found possessiveness, or maybe even that Blake and Weiss weren't the only ones a little nervous about their current arrangement. It didn't matter, because Yang was _not okay_ with someone talking about her girlfriend like that.

The blonde took a deep breath and let it out slowly, which Sun must've taken as a sigh.

"Are you guys _still_ doing team bonding stuff?" He lightly complained, jabbing her shoulder lightly. "How about you let them have some fun?"

"What makes you think they _aren't_ having fun?" Her frustration colored her tone and Yang had to bite back the next comment, which did nothing to help the irritation she could feel striking towards the boiling point.

Her arms had already uncrossed, hands balled into fists in preparation for the fight she was now itching for, but a hand at the small of her back and another between her shoulder blades had her slowly settling, Weiss and Blake appearing at her sides. _Thankfully_ that meant she was relieved of primary conversation holding duties, which were about to be tossed out the window anyway.

"Neptune, Sun, it's good to see you both again." Weiss offered with a polite smile.

"Are you two enjoying the carnival?" Blake moved her hand subtly, rubbing soothing circles into the blonde's back while the heiress did the same slightly lower.

It was... actually more than a little difficult to stay mad with the reassuring gestures and seeing as Yang wasn't _trying_ to be unreasonable, she was highly grateful for their unspoken concern and support.

"It's alright," Neptune replied, that suave smile coming out in full force as he winked at Weiss and held out his hand. "But I have an idea about how it can be better."

"Yeah!" Sun stepped up, throwing an arm around Blake's shoulders. "How about we go ride some rides together?"

Aaaaaaaand she was right back to silently fuming.

"No thanks." The heiress' refusal was crisp and simple, though she did tilt her head slightly. "We've already made plans for the day. I'm sure you understand."

"Sorry, Sun, maybe next time?" Blake smiled as she brushed his arm off.

Not one to be easily deterred, the monkey tailed Faunus pressed on, though he didn't try to initiate anything physical. "Well, how about we tag along?"

"Yeah." Neptune's smile returned. "The more the merrier, right?"

Yang couldn't help shifting her gaze to the heiress at her side, who was blushing slightly. _Now_ how were they going to get rid of them? Like, it was nothing personal, but the blonde _really_ wanted to spend time with her girlfriends and _not_ entertaining some dense knuckleheads who... well, she couldn't really _blame_ them because it wasn't like they knew what was going on but... okay, maybe keeping the whole relationship under wraps wasn't such a good idea.

And then, like the answer to a seldom heard prayer, their salvation came swooping in to save the day, catching _all three of them_ off guard.

And probably all of Remnant as well.

"Neptune! Sun!" Jaune, _of all people_ , approached the group with a wide smile, clapping his two targets on the shoulder. "Wow, I haven't seen you two in a while! How are things going?"

"Oh, nothing much, man." The monkey Faunus laughed, waving to the rest of team JNPR. "Just, you know, chatting with friends!"

"And, hopefully, enjoying the carnival with them." Neptune added, throwing another wink at Weiss.

Jaune nodded slowly. "Right... well, what's a carnival without a little friendly competition?" He motioned towards the shooting gallery. "How about we see who can go without missing a shot?"

Neptune scoffed, crossing his arms over her chest and smirking. "Come on, Jaune, it's not _that_ hard."

"I'd actually say it's respectably difficult," Blake said, shrugging slightly. "I only hit twenty four."

Weiss huffed and mumbled her score. "Twenty-two."

"Wow, you two killed me." Yang offered, hoping to lift the heiress' spirits. "I only got thirteen."

Her girlfriends quickly covered their amusement, offering her sympathetic smiles. That was fine- she wasn't really trying anyway- and it seemed to do the trick of making the heiress feel better.

"I got twenty seven!" And there was her sister, gloating over doing better than double her score. She really couldn't hold it against the bundle of energy, though. "But Penny got a perfect thirty!"

The ginger just smiled, opting not to comment. So, Yang decided to acknowledge it.

"Hey, you really are combat ready!" She offered up one fist, held much looser than before. Although Penny stared at it for a solid five seconds before Ruby leaned over and told her what to do, the blonde was slowly beginning to accept that the woman was just a wee bit off and that's just the length and breadth of the issue. Thankfully, the ginger seemed to grasp the concept quickly and brushed their knuckles together rather than trying to punch her fist- which, well, _was_ a legitimate concern. Probably wouldn't hurt much but whatever.

"See? It's doable but requires some skill." Jaune shrugged his shoulders. "If you two _can't_ do it, though-"

"Hey, I'm _pretty_ sure even the nerd-"

"Intellectual."

"-over here can get it." He noted Blake's slight glower. "Eventually. So! Where's the _real_ challenge?"

Jaune laughed, awkwardly. "Okay, well, how about we make it interesting then? The _first_ person to get a perfect score, gets a kiss!"

While the blond made a point of looking at Weiss, Neptune and Sun looked to their own crushes, suddenly putting entirely too much attention on Yang's girlfriends and causing her last _good_ nerve to fray nearly beyond repair.

"You're on!" Sun brushed past them, heading for the shooting gallery with Neptune a step behind him.

"Wait a minute!"

"We never agreed-"

Yang was about one second from her semblance flaring into life around her when Jaune caught her gaze and winked.

"Go ahead and sneak off while they're distracted." Her nodded back towards the rest of his team, being sure to keep his voice low. "We'll keep them busy!"

She took back every negative and less-than-entirely-nice thought she'd ever had about him; Jaune was the ultimate wingman and a true saint.

Weiss, apparently, needed no further prompting and grabbed one of Yang's in hers, the other reaching for Blake. "Thank you, Jaune."

He gave her the sweetest, saddest smile. "No problem, Sn- Weiss."

Great, now she felt like she'd kicked a puppy. Crap. She'd do something to make it up to him, even if the situation and circumstances were entirely out of her control.

Regardless, the moment her girlfriend started lightly tugging on her hand, the blonde was moving, lightly jogging with Blake behind the heiress, Ruby and Penny bringing up the rear. The carnival was slowly filling up with people- it promised to be a busier day than the one before- so their escape was somewhat hampered but, the moment they were obscured by the crowd, Weiss slowed their pace, settling quite contently between her two taller girlfriends with a little grin.

"Well, that happened," Yang said, wincing slightly as she broke the silence between them. She wasn't sure if it was awkward or not for the others but it certainly felt that way to her. Then again, that might be because she was quietly freaking out about nearly punching her girlfriends' friends for no better reason than what probably came across as jealous rage. "I'm sorry-"

"Hush, Yang, that could hardly have gone any better." The heiress huffed, squeezing the hand in hers. Notably, it wasn't nearly as strong as last night's death grip. "Perhaps I underestimated the... exact nature of my interactions with Neptune."

"I knew Sun was going to be difficult." Blake sighed, tossing them a small smirk. "He's quite literally like a monkey on your back." The expression fell a moment later, morphing to one of concern. "I'm sorry, Yang. That was an unfair position to put you in."

"She's right; if we'd noticed sooner, we would've talked to them ourselves." The heiress rubbed at her temple. "This is... admittedly more complicated than I thought it would be."

"It's fine." She briefly debated telling them _why_ she'd confronted the duo in the first place but decided against it for the moment. As annoyed as she still was with the whole ordeal, she'd just come off sounding like a jealous lover, which wouldn't do anything to improve the situation. Neither would pulling them in for a kiss, which she _really_ wanted to do if only to soothe her irritation with Neptune and Sun.

She stopped walking completely when Weiss drew her into a hug, the blonde being careful not to impale herself in the heiress' spiked ponytail holder as a head burrowed into her chest. Blake stepped up next, behind Weiss and managing to circle her arms around both of them, offsetting her head just enough so Yang could tuck herself between them, returning the embrace.

The blonde chuckled. "This is going to draw attention, you know."

"Group hugs are a thing; they can deal." The heiress muttered. "Besides, you need this."

"From both of us." The Faunus agreed.

While true, she still felt a little bad for not controlling herself a little better. The contact was exactly what she needed to set her nerves at ease but it was just going to make Weiss uncomfortable, so she'd just-

"Yay, group hug!" Ruby jumped up, attacking the three of them from the side. Before any of them could complain, she whispered quickly. "People were starting to look; I panicked!"

"Why did _you_ panic?" Weiss hissed, now rather effectively wedged between Yang and Blake. Well, more so than she was at any rate.

" _Because_ you three are happy and I'd like things to stay that way!"

Blake chuckled. "I'm pretty sure-"

"Oh! I understand!" Penny's addition to the hushed conversation was both loud and unexpected.

As well as ominous.

A second later, it was like the blonde was trapped in a vice grip, no longer trying to hold her girlfriends to her but instead pushing them away so none of them were killed in the process. Where on _Remnant_ did this girl do her training? How do you pack that much strength into a little ginger package!?

"She's. Going. To. Kill. Us." Any other time, she would be _totally_ okay with the heiress being in this position, trapped between her and Blake. However, seeing as this was rapidly turning into a life threatening situation, she was decidedly _not_ okay with it.

"Penny. Stop." The Faunus grunted out, her ears trying valiantly not to lay back as she struggled with Yang to keep from crushing Weiss between them.

Thankfully, Ruby disengaged from the hug-turned-deathtrap, which seemed to be enough reason for Penny to release them, allowing the three to endure a new struggle: that of not kissing the ground while they struggled to regain their breath.

"See, Penny? That was a group hug!" Ruby proudly explained, the ginger nodding eagerly and making some comment Yang didn't catch as she focused on _not_ throttling her sister for siccing her crazy strong girlfriend on them, however unintentional it might've been.

"I'll say it again." Weiss was the first to regain her composure, drawing herself to her full height and glaring at their team leader. "You _should_ come with a warning label!"

Ruby opened her mouth to defend herself... but Penny beat her to it.

"But, nothing exploded this time."

Yang facepalmed, Weiss groaned, Blake sighed, and Ruby had the temerity to chuckle.

The good news, the blonde reflected as she drew her hand down her face for added effect, was that no one was giving _them_ weird looks. No, all strange expressions were reserved for the cackling tiny terror and her bionic girlfriend.

Seriously, there was something _wrong_ with that woman! So long as she didn't do anything to hurt Ruby, Yang was... moderately okay with that.

Penny would grow on her.

Yang was drawn from her contemplation regarding the ginger by Blake, holding something out to her. "By the way, I thought you might like this."

The blonde raised a brow, accepting the box and puzzling over the game it apparently contained. There was a picture of two robots on the front, one red and one blue, with their fists raised towards each other. "Bot Fighter, huh? Neat! Oh, and that reminds me." She grabbed the tiara she'd picked out and offered it to Weiss. "Here ya go, Princess!"

The heiress chuckled, accepting the trinket with a small grin. "A tiara. How fitting."

She went about setting the sequined accessory just behind her bangs before shyly offering Blake a black yo-yo with little purple streaks forming a whirlpool design. "It supposedly lights up."

Raising a brow, the Faunus accepted the gift, immediately slipping the looped string onto her middle finger and experimented with throwing it a few times, getting the hang of the wrist motion quickly. Meanwhile, Yang flipped the box over, realizing the game consisted of two little figurines that could be moved to fight each other, eventually deciding a winner when one managed to land a clean blow to the chin, shutting the other 'bot down.

She kinda wanted to open the box and play with it then and there, like Blake was doing, but instead tucked it under her left arm, offering her right hand to Weiss. "So, what's next? Anything you'd like to try, Princess? Blakey?"

The two looked a bit thoughtful- and Ruby was playfully complaining about the lack of a request for her input- before the heiress motioned towards one of the rides. "What about that one?"

The blonde followed her gaze to a rocking boat that was slowing down gradually, carved dragon heads on each pointed end of the ride. "Uh... I don't think you'll like that one, Princess."

Weiss, of course, immediately huffed in her own defense. "It rocks back and forth like an overgrown swing, Yang. I _think_ I can handle it."

"No, Weiss, we're being serious-"

"I'm not made of glass-"

"Princess, listen-"

"-and I deserve a chance to redeem myself-"

Yang and Blake exchanged a look, silently debating with each other on the best way to approach the situation.

"Weiss is right!" Lilac and amber eyes zeroed in on their mischievous team leader, the younger woman flashing them an innocent smile. "She should have the chance to determine for herself if it's something she likes."

"Thank you, Ruby." The heiress smiled, leaving Yang and Blake obviously at a loss for any form of objection in the face of her partner's support.

"Alright, let's go..." The blonde smirked. " _But_! I call middle!" She received twin wounded looks from her girlfriends in response. "Oh, come on! Weiss got the middle last time!"

"Fine, but it's my turn next," the Faunus said simply, recovering as she slipped her unoccupied hand into Weiss' while the other continued fiddling with the yo-yo.

Ruby beamed, though her expression turned a bit thoughtful as her silver eyes fell on their joined hands. Tentatively, the younger woman reached out and took Penny's hand in hers, blushing nearly as bright as her cloak but sporting a wide smile that was shared with her girlfriend.

Yang smiled, allowing the prime teasing opportunity to waltz on by without so much as a word.

It wasn't _easy_ , mind, but she managed.

* * *

They were nearly at the front of the line, obviously getting on the very next iteration, when Weiss finally realized what Blake and Yang had tried to warn her about before. When the attraction caught her attention, the momentum was slowing down and the heiress had- incorrectly- assumed that the boat swinging on the fulcrum wouldn't go past the vertical mark, a maximum displacement of one hundred and eighty degrees through the duration of the swing.

She had stammered out that excuse at least, even as wide blue eyes watched the boat build up momentum to swing _all the way around_ several times.

Yang was many things but a master of self control wasn't really one of them. The only thing keeping her from busting a gut at the sheer horror splayed across pale features was the constant reminder that Weiss would be mortified and Blake would likely smack her in retaliation. Of course, she had no desire to upset either of her girlfriends, so she smothered her amusement as best she could and turned her brightest, most supportive smile on the shorter woman in lieu of kissing the expression away.

"Hey, Princess, same thing as last night." Yang at least had the sense to lower her voice and duck her head slightly, so as to not draw attention to them. "If you don't want to go, we can just walk away."

"This _was_ my idea." The heiress was being proud and stubborn again, clutching the hands still held within hers.

"But you can always change your mind," Blake said, smiling softly despite the slight sadness in those amber eyes.

The ride was slowly coming to a stop, more than half the occupants laughing from the rush of excitement while the remainder had death grips on the safety bars.

Weiss shot the Faunus a sharp look, her hesitations about the ride seeming to disappear as she squared her shoulders. "Having the ability to change my mind and wanting to are two entirely different things. We are _going_ to be together. On this ride. Shortly." Her expression softened. "As long as you two wish to be there, too."

"Of course."

"Duh." The blonde smirked as both of her girlfriends shot her exasperated looks at her flippant response but, hey, _someone_ had to keep things light around here! These two were going to worry themselves to death if Yang didn't keep an eye on them. "Come on, let's go!"

Being as close to the front of the line as they were, the three were able to snag the row in the furthest back, which only had three seats. Although Weiss still grumbled lightly about it, Yang got the middle seat, wrapping an arm around both of her girlfriends the moment they were seated and the safety bar clicked into place. Blake and Weiss instantly snuggled into her sides, scooting over as much as possible so they could wrap one of their arms around her in turn, holding hands behind the blonde's back. She could feel just how tense both of them were and wore her brightest smile. Ruby and Penny were several rows ahead of them, the ginger looking slightly nervous as her sister gently assured her everything would be alright.

Seeing as it was getting close to lunchtime, the boat had some empty seats still when the attendant started the ride. The first little bit wasn't bad, Blake relaxing as she got used to the forward and backward motion while Weiss at least didn't scream. As the pitching continued, the heiress wound tighter and tighter, Yang trying her best to console Weiss while Blake did what she could from the blonde's other side, holding back a little chuckle as they reached the horizontal point, staring up at the inner workings of the fulcrum and the sky beyond. When they were pulled backwards, the damn broke.

"If it's any consolation, I am absolutely positive of one thing in this moment," Weiss said, her voice clipped and tense from anxiety. "There is _nothing_ about our relationship that will ever be more horrid than these stupid rides, except its dissolution."

That was the moment when Yang became aware of a few things, one of which being that it actually _was_ possible to smile so hard it physically hurt. She exchanged a quick, beaming expression with Blake just as their momentum began to wane.

"So, you have regrets..."

"...but not about us?"

"I have regrets." The heiress nodded slowly as they stopped, looking straight down at the ground for a brief moment before beginning to move forward again. "But never about YOU!"

There came again the ear splitting scream of terror as they were propelled forward, building up enough momentum to go all the way around. As they flipped upside down, Yang laughed, pulling Weiss more firmly into her, grounding the heiress and cutting off her scream (she wasn't sure which would give out first, Weiss' lungs or _her_ ears) while Blake pressed closer of her own volition, amber eyes dancing with mirth as the world spun around them.

The boat rocketed around the fixed point a total of three times before beginning to slow. Weiss was a bit of a shivering mess but, when she tried to pull away slightly so she didn't have such a death grip on the blonde or Blake, neither were willing to let her go. Yang used the arm wrapped around the shorter woman's shoulders to keep them pressed together while the Faunus used her free hand to guide Weiss' head to the blonde's shoulder, gently running a soothing hand through white locks. Blake smiled tenderly at both of them, waiting until they were at the peak of another swing before speaking, so the wind rushing past wouldn't snatch her words.

"I really want to kiss you both right now."

"Me too," Yang replied, smiling at the Faunus briefly before they both turned their attention back to Weiss. The blonde briefly checked ahead of them, finding Ruby absolutely enthralled with the ride while Penny seemed at least moderately amused. Though, if the ginger's gaze was any indication, that was more a product of her sister's reaction than the ride itself.

When the boat finally came to a stop, Weiss was able to disembark the ride under her own power, though her movements were stiff to the point she looked like she was going to snap. While the attendant muttered to himself about something being wrong with the ride and started looking over a panel, team RWBY (plus Penny) collected their spoils from lockers similar to the ones they used the night before and walked away, Yang and Blake subtly helping to support their stubborn girlfriend as she recovered from her shock.

"So, what's next?" Ruby flashed them a wide smile, Penny's hand once again in hers.

"I vote for lunch," Yang said, casually slinging her arm around the heiress' shoulders while Blake slipped her own around Weiss' waist. It just made sense for them to find somewhere to sit for a while and settle down, preferably while everyone was still trying to get a bite to eat, too, so they could hide more effectively.

Plus, she could play with the Bot Fighter game.

* * *

The food shack they picked was tucked away from the main thoroughfare, allowing the five of them to sit and relax without fear of certain individuals sneaking up on them. Of course, Weiss had recovered quickly enough to insist upon the three of them sharing a generous portion of spicy tuna and noodles rather than three separate plates. The upside was that they were practically obligated to sit closer than what would be considered normal and, because that _was_ the upside, no downside existed to this particular arrangement. Penny opted not to eat- strange- while Ruby vacillated between politely keeping her bites small so she could carry on a conversation with her date and stuffing her face because the food was absolutely delicious. Not that Yang could really remark on _anyone's_ manners; she spent the whole meal either defending herself from her girlfriends or stealing the food they were trying to eat right out of their grasp, generously shooting flirtatious winks and smirks at every flustered response from Weiss and cheeky promise of retribution from Blake.

In her defense, they were _way_ too kissable for their own good and she needed _something_ to distract her from that.

"You two think you can handle dessert?" The blonde lightly teased, grabbing a napkin and cleaning her mouth.

Blake, of course, got the middle spot during the meal- which made Yang's attempt to sneak bites from Weiss while she was distracted by the Faunus all the more impressive- and she could note both girlfriends giving her a curious look before the heiress spoke up.

"I hardly think eating chocolate with every meal is part of a balanced diet, Yang."

Too easy.

"Who said anything about chocolate?" Yang lowered her lids and grinned, making a show of licking her lips that brought an instant blush to Weiss' cheeks.

Of course, those ice blue eyes instantly slid to Blake, silently begging for assistance, but the heiress' blush only intensified; apparently, the Faunus was giving her a similar look and there would be no help for poor, flustered Weiss.

_Yeeeeeeeeees._

"You're both still horrible." Weiss grumbled, taking a big gulp of her drink before diverting her attention to their team leader. "Ruby, have you any ideas about what we should do next?"

"Well, we could always ride the bumper cars!" Yang smiled, mentally applauding her sister's choice. There was _no way_ something as tame as bumper cars could scare the heiress and, though they tended to have ones that would seat two comfortably, three in one would be a bit of a squeeze. Which was, of course, an _awesome_ little side effect that Yang was perfectly fine with. "They're a lot of fun, Weiss! Have you ever tried them before?"

"Of course not." The heiress huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "What does it entail?"

As Ruby began excitedly explaining the finer points of driving motorized carts into others for the sole purpose of amusement, Yang leaned closer to Blake. "What about you, Blakey?"

The Faunus tilted her head, looking thoughtful. "Once, when I was very small, my dad took me... I hardly remember, to be honest."

A frown tugged at her lips before she offered up a comforting smile, slipping an arm around her partner's waist. "Well, it's about time to give it another shot, right? We could all use more happy memories."

"Yeah, but I still call middle." Blake smiled, just shy of gloating over it while leaning closer and lowering her voice. "Can we let Weiss drive? I think it might help her to have some control over things."

"Aw, but driving aggressively is, like, my best skill behind kicking butt, looking fabulous, and being a wonderful girlfriend!" She fake whined, pretending not to notice Blake's amusement at her stated skills. It would be kinda boring to just sit in the car, but bumper cars weren't all about slamming into other people... okay, so that's _exactly_ what they were about, but she would definitely find something to keep her entertained in the meantime. "I _guess_ that's okay, though."

"It's so sweet when you're understanding," her partner replied with a mischievous smirk, leaning in quickly to plant a soft kiss on Yang's cheek. It was so fast, the blonde could only blink in surprise as Blake sat up straight in her seat, leaving her ultimately unable to return the affection without being noticed.

Oh that was playing _dirty_.

With a smirk, Yang nodded slightly. If that was the way Blake was going to play, fine. She could handle it.

And she _definitely_ didn't have any qualms about bringing their girlfriend into it, either. Within their limits, of course.

"So, to bumper cars, then?" The blonde stood up, laying down the lien to cover the meal she shared with her girlfriends while Ruby paid for herself and Penny. Their allowance wasn't much- and this weekend would probably be a big hit- but she could probably pick up a small job or something for some added scratch. She _definitely_ had an excellent reason to spend it, now.

Two, in fact.

As everyone stood and gathered their things- Yang belatedly remembered she didn't even bother checking out her little game, dang- the blonde took quick stock of everyone's positions as she pretended to fumble her scroll, the device clattering to the ground a few feet from Weiss. As the heiress noticed it and went to pick it up, Yang quickly moved until she was in the perfect spot, using the shack and her own body to shield any wandering eyes from seeing anything as she darted in quickly and brushed her lips against the heiress' cheek.

"Blake got me, I got you," she said softly, drawing away as swiftly as she'd invaded Weiss' space, triumphantly noticing the blush rising in those pale cheeks while pocketing her scroll. Of course, given that the shack they'd chosen was out of the way and there was a lot of movement going on, the moment their particular positions registered to the heiress so too did her potential irritation with the action die.

A brief narrowing of those ice blue eyes confirmed it, though: Weiss Schnee was not one to back down from a challenge.

"Are we ready?" Ruby called, beaming at her teammates with the ginger beside her mirroring the expression.

"Indeed." Weiss turned, grabbing Blake's hand in hers and shooting them both a disturbingly smug smirk. Oh, she was plotting, that was definitely a certified Schnee-plot-in-progress-smirk.

Blake grabbed Yang's hand, a spark of excitement in her amber eyes.

The day might be half over but there was still _a lot_ of fun to be had, the blonde could feel it.

* * *

Waiting in line for the bumper cars was _much_ better than any of the rollercoasters. Not only was Weiss calm and even a bit excited, watching how the little cars scooted around the track, but the playful competitiveness of the concept soon had the two distinct teams talking smack to each other. Ruby and Penny versus Blake, Weiss, and Yang: a legendary battle in the making.

"Weiss, are you _sure_ you don't want to admit defeat now?" Ruby raised a brow, puffing up her chest slightly as she proudly continued. "Because I'm the undisputed bumper car champion of Patch! You'll need some _mad_ skills to beat me!"

"Ha! Unlikely." The heiress scoffed, playfully glaring at her partner. "However, if you're so confident in your victory, perhaps we can make a wager on it?"

Yang and Blake exchanged a glance. Up until this point, the blonde was thoroughly enjoying watching Ruby and Weiss tease each other in that weird partner way they'd developed, a little warmth settling in her chest as she realized how disturbingly well everything was going, all things considered. Like, this was how things were _supposed_ to be, and that was awesome! But now, things promised to get a bit more interesting.

"Alright!" Silver eyes flashed in determination. "Winner is whoever taps the other the most with their car, any side, but it only counts for whoever has the momentum going into the hit!"

"Very well. That just leaves the stakes, then." Weiss offered up her hand. "Loser studies in the library Monday night."

Again, Yang and Blake looked to each other, slightly befuddled by such a strange outcome. Sure, it was relatively harmless, but odd; given how very intent Weiss was about keeping on top of her studies, deviating from that would always be referred to as 'counterproductive'- and now the blonde was allowing her imagination to run away from her, shaking her head to refocus her attention.

"Alright, you're on!" Their team leader took Weiss' hand, shaking it vigorously. "Guess I'll be studying on my own in the room Monday night!"

"Don't be so cocky, Rubes." Yang smirked. "After all, she does have the _previous_ bumper car champion of Patch to give her a few pointers!"

Ruby faked a gasp. "You wouldn't _dare_!"

"Oh, but I _would_."

The younger woman pouted, turning around after sticking her tongue out at Yang. Although Penny didn't seem to understand much of the exchange- probably an only child, poor kid- the ginger immediately struck up a conversation with Ruby now that the young woman was free. With those two distracted- and the people around them either engrossed in conversations or watching the current carnival goers zooming around the little space- Yang turned her curious gaze on the heiress, pleased to find Blake was equally interested in getting to the bottom of things.

"Okay, Princess, spill it." Lilac eyes flicked to where their team leader stood, expounding on the finer points of bumper car physics to an enraptured Penny. "What was _that_ all about?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

The Faunus frowned slightly. "Weiss, we all know how seriously you take studying."

"And I seem to recall part of the justification for this little excursion was how far ahead all of us are. Plus, we have tomorrow as a dedicated study day." Weiss maintained her flippant demeanor long enough to glance around, ensuring no one paid the trio any mind as she lowered her voice, anxiety infecting her tone. "Also, I thought... since we don't _really_ need to study Monday night... maybe we could watch a movie together?"

If it didn't also carry the possibility of embarrassing the heiress, Yang might've done a little victory dance then and there. Who knew all the little Ice Princess needed was a girlfriend or two to loosen up?

"That sounds great!" The blonde smiled, leaning in conspiratorially. "So, you want some tips on how to beat Rubes?"

As a general rule, bumper cars wasn't in any way a sport or competitive game, unless you got creative. After explaining the mechanics of how the cars themselves worked, Yang used the session already in progress to point out tips for driving, how to get up to speed quickly, and how to use other people as shields. She had no doubt Weiss would give her little sister a run for her money but Ruby had absolutely _loved_ riding the bumper cars at every carnival back on Patch, so it was a case of motivation against experience.

By the time they were actually in the bumper car- which, indeed, was only meant to seat two people but accommodated three after a particularly harsh glare from the trio aimed at the ride's hesitant attendant- there was an entire strategy to the round, with Weiss concentrating on operating the car, Blake on directional advice, and Yang keeping an eye on their opponents across the sectioned off track. As the motor buzzed to life and music accompanied it, Weiss set the car in motion. Driving was a little awkward, what with the heiress pressed all the way against the left side while the blonde tried her hardest to press against the right, Blake in the center. Still, definitely not the least bit unpleasant, nevermind the rubber edge digging into her side.

Yang was totally cool with this.

Allowing Weiss to handle the driving was the best decision, though. Not only was the heiress absolutely adorable as she first puzzled through and then mastered maneuvering the car between other carnival patrons but she seemed so hell bent on beating Ruby that it was almost like she was in the heat of battle. Bumper cars definitely lacked the finesse of Myrtenaster but Weiss was no less graceful in dodging Ruby's attempts to bump them- and when Yang could shamelessly use 'graceful' as an appropriate description, well, that was _skill_ , hands down. That didn't mean they made it through unscathed, of course. Every jolt as they collided with the couple's car- or unsuspecting patrons- earned a laugh from Yang and at least a chuckle from Blake, as both of them didn't have a death grip on the steering wheel to keep them anchored in any manner. While Weiss was less amused with Ruby's attempts to win, her girlfriends enjoyed the sudden shock that accompanied being bumped. One particularly solid hit Ruby managed to land nearly sent the blonde flying out of the car, if they were packed in so tight to begin with, causing the rubber lined edge to dig in painfully between her ribs. It wasn't anything she couldn't shrug off, of course, but it _was_ annoying.

As the motor died and the cars came to a stop, the trio did their best to extricate themselves from the bumper car without putting their hands anywhere... inappropriate. Okay, so _Yang_ was the only one actively putting effort into that department, because it was _so_ tempting to, ahem, 'slip' a little, but she somehow managed to restrain herself. They left the arena, Penny consoling Ruby on her loss while Blake congratulated Weiss.

"You driving was impressive, Princess." The Faunus smirked. "Any thoughts on which movie we'll watch?"

"What? Movie?" Their team leader looked disappointed, though the small grin she sported was an indication that she understood. "You guys are having a movie night without me?"

"Hey, team movie night is Thursday, remember? Right before study time?" The blonde gave her sister's shoulder a good natured shake. "We're not _totally_ leaving you out. This is just... a special occasion."

"Alright." Ruby huffed, going back to bemoaning her loss. "I _swear_ there was something wrong with our car, though. It didn't go nearly as fast as it should've!"

Yang rolled her eyes and laughed. "Whatever you say, speed demon."

"I've thought about it. The movie, I mean." Weiss shrugged, obviously trying to downplay how proud she was over her victory as well as her excitement over claiming the reward. "But that's a conversation for later. For now, I must admit that it was a more enjoyable experience than I thought it would be."

"Well, do you wanna go again?" Yang offered, happy they found something that didn't seem to upset the heiress. Even though riding shotgun was somewhat boring, any excuse to be close to her girlfriends was one she was willing to use.

"Yeah!" Ruby piped up. "I need to reclaim my title!"

"Technically, you're still the champion of Patch, Ruby," Blake said amicably, lips twisting into a smirk as their team leader cheered. "But Weiss is the champion of Vale."

"This cannot stand!" She declared, grabbing Penny's hand. "We must correct it! Come on!"

Yang laughed, watching as her sister's date eagerly followed along and ready to do the same before a hand on her arm stopped her. With a raised brow, she noted Weiss' hesitant expression.

"Maybe... we could try separate cars this time? Not that it wasn't enjoyable sharing a car with both of you, it's just, uh-" The heiress looked elsewhere, struggling to find the words she needed so desperately, but the blonde was on top of it.

"Hey, Princess, calm down." She gently laid a hand on one shoulder while Blake took the other. Thankfully, the Faunus seemed to read her mind in regards to their girlfriend, offering a comforting smile. "Being in a relationship doesn't mean we do _everything_ together, okay?"

"We can enjoy this together without being in the same car." The Faunus leaned in a little closer, smirking. "But, that means all bets are off."

"Yeah, we won't go easy on you just because you're beautiful, you know." Yang winked, pleased when the heiress actually blushed a little and huffed.

"I'll kindly remind you two not to underestimate me." She turned away, beckoning for them to follow her sashaying hips with more than just their eyes. "Come along, then. I'd like to see you two live up to your talk..." she looked over her shoulder at them, a small grin on her lips "... if you can."

The blonde licked her lips subconsciously, glancing at her partner. "That was _way_ hotter than it had any right to be."

Blake, sufficiently snapped out of her daze, nodded sheepishly. "She... kinda has a way of doing that, huh?"

"Yeah." She bumped her girlfriend's shoulder. "But, neither of us are complaining."

"Of course not."

With a laugh, they caught up to Weiss, purchasing another round on the bumper cars and waiting for the current one to finish. In the meantime, they talked about whatever was left to do to enjoy the carnival, as well as Weiss dictating a veritable laundry list of topics for Ruby to study on Monday night- 'to keep her busy', supposedly.

"Wow, you lost out big time there, Rubes." The blonde snickered. "Guess that'll teach you to bet against the Princess!"

"Oh, you just wait! I'll redeem myself!" The younger woman crossed her arms over her chest. "Just you three wait!"

"Ruby, may I assist you in your studying on Monday?" Penny smiled innocently, tilting her head. "I believe I would find those topics interesting as well."

"Uh, you want to study? With me?" Yang opened her mouth to tease her sister but received an elbow in the side, courtesy of Blake, for her trouble. "Sure! I mean, the library's pretty lax about who can use it, as long as you don't _throw people through bookcases_."

This time, neither of her girlfriends seemed intent on keeping her from responding. "That was one time! And I helped fix it!"

Surprisingly, it was the Faunus to level a sharp glare her way. "The Dewey decimal system says otherwise, Yang." With a nervous smile, she held her hands up in surrender as Blake continued. "However, seeing as it was _Cardin_ you threw, I can't find much reason to hold it against you."

She was saved from finding out if Blake was sincerely still a little peeved about that incident- seriously, not only did Cardin have it coming, but she didn't damage the books... much- by Weiss suddenly looking interested in something while the current bumper car round wound down. "Blake? What's that on your cheek?"

"Huh?" The Faunus swiped at the indicated area, pulling her hand away to reveal nothing.

"No, to the- oh, just bend down a little! I'll do it myself." The heiress huffed, tapping her foot impatiently as Blake obliged. However, the moment she did, a smirk flashed across the woman's lips as she leaned in and placed a quick peck to Blake's cheek, turning around instantly and walking off to claim one of the bumper cars.

Blake and Yang exchanged a look, amber eyes betraying a mix of bemusement and adoration. "Sometimes, I forget how quickly she adapts and overcomes."

"I don't." The blonde sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "But we're definitely going to have to redefine 'public' at some point, because no fair she gets to kiss you out in the open like this while everyone's _distracted_ but we have to make sure no one _sees_."

Blake raised a brow, incredulous. "Are you seriously jealous that she might be okay with kissing us whenever she's comfortable but we can't do the same?"

"Yes." She pouted, which was something she usually left to Ruby unless particularly incensed. The denial of free kissing rights qualified. "It's rude!"

The Faunus blinked in surprise before offering a conciliatory smile. "Alright, let's get through this round and then we'll pull her aside to talk, okay?"

The blonde groaned. "Of _course_ you have to be the reasonable one."

"One of us has to," Blake replied before going to grab a car for herself.

Yang wasn't particularly upset, really, it was just difficult enough to tramp down on her urge to be a bit more... _physical_ with her girlfriends than they were obviously comfortable with, nevermind when one of them could break the rules without any warning! It was cute and flirty and _really_ too Weiss-y for her to hold against the heiress, but also _not_ fair in the slightest.

As usual, Yang found an outlet for her frustration: slamming her car into whoever happened to get too close to Blake or Weiss. It was all in good fun but the physical impact did a lot to soothe over her annoyance, especially when she tapped Blake's and Weiss' cars for fun. The Faunus just chuckled and tapped her back while the heiress chided her instead. When it came to Ruby, however, restraint went out the window and she thoroughly reminded her younger sister who always kicked the most butt back home.

Somehow- because _she_ certainly had no hand in setting it up- Yang managed to knock against Weiss' car at the same time Blake hit the woman on the other side, effectively sandwiching the heiress' car between them.

Well, she couldn't, in good faith, let this pass without comment. "You know, this is rapidly becoming a regular position for us."

"It definitely has its advantages," Blake said with a playful smirk and lidded eyes, leaning forward enticingly.

How someone made sitting in a bumper car in the middle of a carnival alluring was beyond Yang's comprehension but _certainly_ not above her appreciation. Even Weiss approved, if her sudden inability to do more than imitate a goldfish was any indication.

"SWEET REVENGE!" Ruby's premature victory cry startled the trio out of their stalemate, the heiress throwing her car into reverse to dodge their team leader while Blake and Yang did the same, except the partners immediately threw theirs back into forward to kill Ruby's momentum. This, of course, gave Weiss time to build up a bit before slamming into Ruby's car head on, rocking all four of them in the process. "Oh, not fair!"

"Should've just taken your lumps and admitted defeat, Rubes!" The blonde teased, backing her car up and preparing for another hit. "You- Hey!"

Yang was rocked sideways when Penny crashed into her side, wearing a proud smile as Ruby cheered. "I have scored a point!"

Okay, she had to admit it: this kid was starting to grow on her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Penny is adorable. That is all.


	5. Heating Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My work schedule got thrown sideways. Early update because I need sleep.

The second round of bumper cars ended much like the first, with Ruby lightly complaining about being outnumbered and Weiss reminding her partner about the topics she expected to be covered Monday night without her supervision. Once the heiress was finished with her chiding, Yang had plenty of room to tease her moping sister about getting her butt whooped twice in a row. The blonde was pretty sure one of the carnival games would lift her spirits- if Penny's strange but heartfelt attempts failed- but didn't worry too much about it. Her sister bounced back pretty quickly after accepting defeat; it was accepting it that always took the longest.

Comfortable leaving Ruby in Penny's hands, the blonde turned her attention to her girlfriends. Weiss was still preening from her confirmed victory while Blake patiently listened, giving a subtle nod to Yang as she guided the heiress out of the way of the crowd. They would meet back up with the other couple in a few minutes; for now, there were boundaries to discuss.

"So, we're going to have a chat about these ninja kisses-"

"Yang." Blake warned, narrowing her eyes briefly before returning her attention to the heiress. "We're just a bit confused, Weiss. We talked about the rules-"

"-and then _someone_ started a kissing game!" The woman cut in, crossing her arms over her chest. Her expression was caught somewhere between righteous annoyance and genuine guilt. "You really thought I could keep myself from retaliating until we left the carnival or the perfect opportunity presented itself?"

At this, Blake looked a bit sheepish, reaching up to idly scratch beside her bow. "Well... yes? They were _your_ rules, Weiss."

Blue eyes narrowed as annoyance started winning out over guilt.

Yang looked between her girlfriends, realizing they weren't exactly getting anywhere with the current tone of the conversation. Yeah, this was pretty close to the norm for these two, sure, but the blonde didn't want any arguments cropping up when they could be avoided, especially when it came to their still new relationship. Perhaps she just should've taken Blake's little tease and waited to pay it forward until they were in a more secluded area or not objected to the double standard in the first place.

Either way, it was time for damage control, and there was one easy way to placate both of them.

"I'm sorry, Weiss; this is my fault." She offered a small smile, shrugging one shoulder. "But I _did_ say you two are really kissable! I guess I just need to work on my self control."

"It's not... You shouldn't apologize." The heiress frowned, annoyance quickly sliding back into guilt as she cringed. "It's not like I didn't _like_ it. I'm just... well, not accustomed to _any_ form of romantic relationship, much less a triad-"

"Triad?" Yang raised a brow, sensing a golden opportunity about to present itself. Serious conversation could be put on hold for just a second. "Is that what this is called? The three of us together?"

"Typically, yes." Weiss averted her gaze, suddenly becoming very interested in her shoes. "According to my research, that is."

Blake looked over at her with a smirk. " _Research_."

Ah, that was a golden opportunity if she ever saw one, and she, in good conscience, couldn't allow the moment to pass. "Soooooooo, it's like a triangle?"

The heiress' gaze raised, eyes narrowed in suspicion as she looked at the blonde. "I have the strong feeling I'm going to regret saying this but: yes, Yang. Like a triangle."

Hook, line, and sinker. "Well, clearly, I'm the right angle, because you two are just too _acute_!"

Her two girlfriends slowly slid their gazes towards the other, Weiss breaking the silence first, her tone somewhat dumbfounded. "We hold romantic affection for this woman."

"Yes. Yes, we do." Blake smiled softly. "Horrible puns and all."

The tension was utterly destroyed as both of her girlfriends tried hard to control their giggle fits while the blonde beamed. Score one for Yang!

The heiress sighed, unable to fully control her amusement as she did her best to act frustrated with the blonde's antics. "Could we please be serious? And, for clarification's sake, we're actually an _equilateral_ triangle. So we're _all_ 'acute'."

Yang started laughing while Blake instantly slapped a hand to her face and groaned. "Because _once_ wasn't bad enough."

Their girlfriend huffed. "Oh, so _she_ does it and it's cute but _I_ do it and it causes physical pain."

"That's because I expect better from you." The Faunus teased, flashing a grin at Weiss' indignation.

Barely containing her laughter, the blonde threw an arm around their shoulders, hugging her girlfriends close. _This_ was exactly why these two were just so adorable! Blake nuzzled into her side, melting into the embrace, while Weiss took a moment before fully accepting it, head tucked against Yang's shoulder. However, the heiress' brief resistance brought Yang's attention to the thoughtlessness of her action and she made to retreat. "Uh, sorry, I-"

"Quiet, you oaf." Weiss wrapped an arm around her hips, reaching up to keep the blonde's arm in place. "Perhaps we can... adjust the rules regarding public affection. This is... nice."

Seeing the heiress give the green light, Blake settled more firmly against her side, tilting her head slightly to brush her lips against Yang's neck. "Tag, you're it."

These two. _These two._

"Uh, excuse me, ladies?" A new voice cut in- too deep to be Ruby or Penny- and the three of them stiffened. "Is everything okay?"

Blake was the quickest to react, turning a polite smile on the concerned man. "Our friend just got a bit dizzy, that's all. We're going to take her to a pavilion so she can rest."

Catching on to the ploy, Yang lolled her head forward and gave a pathetic moan for added effect. She didn't let her weight rest too heavily on her girlfriends, though; if she was going to do _that_ , she damn well better be capable of enjoying it, not playing sick!

The good Samaritan wasn't quite finished being helpful, though. "You should probably get her some water, too."

"Absolutely." Weiss made a show of shifting Yang's arm so they could walk a bit easier. "Thank you for your concern, sir."

That seemed good enough and he moved along, allowing the trio to shuffle off in the direction of the nearest pavilion, Ruby and Penny joining them the moment they were lost in the crowd once more.

"I'm so sorry!" Their team leader looked genuinely distraught, silver guys darting around as she whispered just loud enough to be heard over the press of people. "I didn't even see him notice you three until it was too late!"

"Ruby, you're fine." The Faunus smiled, squeezing the blonde's waist lightly. "I'm pretty sure Yang's not complaining."

"Nope! Not one bit!" The supposedly incapacitated woman chimed in, allowing her head to loll to the right, putting her in the perfect position to sneak in a kiss to Weiss' temple. "Oh, and you're it."

" _Not_. Fair."

Although she had to fake being ill to avoid any further interlopers, they eventually made it to the pavilion, Yang plopping down rather dramatically at one of the picnic tables and whining. "If I say I feel cold, will you two keep me warm?"

Weiss promptly flicked her nose. "You're practically a furnace, you oaf; that won't work."

"Not out here, anyway." Blake added, smirking slightly at the heiress' glower. "You know, with Yang not feeling well, maybe we should head back to the room..."

Oh, she would totally up her acting game if it meant blissful hours of uninterrupted cuddling and _maybe_ some kisses. Stand back, everyone, she was about to give an award winning performance! Leonardo Di Cappuccino was going to _cry his heart out_ as she accepted that award, too!

"Yang's not feeling well?" Before she could even start, the blonde's gaze snapped to Pyrrha as the redhead approached, a sympathetic smile on her face. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"She'll be fine." Blake soothingly rubbed Yang's shoulder, amber eyes dancing with mischief. "Nothing a little bit of bed rest won't fix."

"Where's your team?" Weiss cast a cursory glance around, apparently spotting one of the missing members. "Is... Jaune okay?"

The redhead sighed. "Nora and Ren are on one of the rollercoasters and Jaune... well... Neptune was the first to get a perfect score on that shooting gallery-"

"You didn't compete?" Ruby piped up, genuinely surprised.

"Apparently, I wasn't in the running." Pyrrha frowned, glancing away briefly before refocusing her attention. Seeing as she was heavily vested in the current topic of conversation, the blonde kept her moaning and groaning over her supposed illness to a bare minimum. "Once Neptune won, Jaune pointed out that they never specified who the kiss was from... and then he... volunteered."

A brief moment of silence prevailed. All Yang could think was: damn, she owed that man a beer. Especially considering he presumably took a hit for them in front of the girl... who...

 _Oh_ shit.

Yeah, she owed Jaune a beer... but she owed Pyrrha a whole damn _bar_! She hadn't expected him to go to _those_ lengths to help them out!

"I think it broke Neptune- Sun had to lead him away- and Jaune... well... he hasn't said a word since it happened, so..." Green eyes clouded over with an emotion, something akin to disappointment, that she quickly covered with a polite smile. "I think he's... upset and I'm at a loss for how to comfort him."

The absolute defeat with which she finished that statement spoke volumes of how much of a solid Jaune did for them and the unintended side effects of his little trick. Talk about taking a hit for a friend.

And she needed to fix it.

Forgoing her sick act, Yang made to stand up but was promptly held in place by Blake, the Faunus' eyes trained on their girlfriend who... uh oh. The Ice Princess was back in full force, if the look on her face was anything to go by.

"Pyrrha Nikos, _please_ don't tell me you actually believe for one second _that_ boy is gay." Weiss sighed, massaging the bridge of her nose briefly. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

"But, he-"

" _Pyrrha_." Blue eyes zeroed in on her with that patented Schnee stare that Ruby dreaded (and Yang equally dreaded when it was directed at her). "Jaune is _not_ homosexual. He was doing us a favor." The redhead looked confused briefly, eyes bouncing between the five people in front of her, as if trying to work out who 'us' referred to specifically. The heiress didn't give her too much time to figure it out, though. "Yang, don't you dare get off that bench. Ruby, tend to your 'sick' sister. Blake, explain the full situation to Pyrrha. Penny... I don't know, help Ruby or something." She spun on heel and started marching towards the dejected blond. " _I'll_ take care of Jaune."

As Weiss left, Ruby blinked in astonishment. "Those are five words I never expected to hear from her. Ever." She paused. "It's been a weird day." She then took two steps closer to her sister and started patting her shoulder soothingly. "It'll be okay, Yang. You'll feel better."

"I don't understand the necessity of this deception but I will play along!" The ginger mirrored Ruby's position and attempted to pat the blonde's shoulder in fake sympathy. "There, there. You will be alright."

The groan that instantly left her lips was not of the forced variety. Holy _shit_ this chick hit like a Mack truck on steroids! If she wasn't sick before, she sure as hell was _injured_ now!

"Penny! A little- ack- lighter! Please!" Thankfully, her Aura took the brunt of the hits but still, she was going to have a ton of bruises after all was said and done. Rather than easing up, Ruby started putting a bit more effort into her pats, and now the blonde was a freaking punching bag, great, sisterly retribution, _just_ what she needed on top of everything else.

Ignoring them as best she could, Yang bounced her gaze between her one girlfriend having a hushed conversation with Pyrrha and her other girlfriend having one with Jaune. Between the two, Weiss was apparently having an easier time of it; the poor redhead was blushing so hard, it was a wonder she hadn't fainted dead away, and Blake looked fully prepared for that happening at any given moment.

Although it took a few seconds for her brain to reboot, Pyrrha seemed to accept the Faunus' explanation, a small smile coming to her lips as they embraced. "I'm happy for you, Blake. You too, Yang."

The blonde had never mentioned her crushes to anyone but, if there was one person in all of Beacon who'd been able to guess- aside from her _entire team_ , because subtlety really wasn't her strong suit apparently- it would definitely be her occasional sparring partner. Despite the brief sadness keeping the information under wraps caused, the sentiment was genuine, so she couldn't keep the goofy smile from her lips. "Thanks, Pyrrha."

Crossing her arms, the redhead leveled a smirk at her. "I am a bit affronted you three thought to inform Jaune ahead of me, though."

"That wasn't entirely planned!" Yang protested before groaning for effect as her rather loud exclamation brought them a bit too much attention from passers by. "Things just, uh, happened like that? Look, none of us really know what we're doing at this point."

Before the conversation could continue, the ginger cut in, slight wonder in her voice. "Ruby, would it be correct to say that Weiss is not one to show fondness or mirth often, outside her interactions with Blake and Yang?"

"And me! Ya know, sometimes." The young woman shrugged. "But yeah, pretty much. Why?"

Penny raised a hand to point. "I believe the rarity of this occurrence might warrant our full attention."

They followed her indication, jaws dropping open as their gazes landed on a most peculiar sight indeed.

Weiss was _hugging_ Jaune!

Okay, so it wasn't, like, a _full_ hug- an arm around his shoulders, so definitely a side hug- but she was genuinely comforting him, a small smile on her lips as she offered what they could only assume to be words of encouragement, given how the blond's spirit seemed to be lifting. The bizarre scene was so out of place, Yang didn't even have the presence of mind to be jealous. Thankfully, Blake seemed to be in the same boat, tilting her head to the side as if she couldn't quite accept the scene happening before her.

"Today's just full of surprises." Pyrrha offhandedly remarked, lips curling into a small grin. Which was good, because of everyone paying close attention to the scene, the redhead was the last candidate for jealousy. Avoiding further misunderstandings was pretty high on Yang's list right now.

"Yeah, no kidding." She felt her lips tugging into a smile as Weiss and Jaune got up and made their way back to the larger group.

"Welcome back, you two." Blake stepped away from the redhead, allowing Jaune to take her spot beside Pyrrha. "Is everything alright?"

"Oh, he'll be fine." Weiss waved a hand dismissively. "Although the reaction he received was deplorably discriminatory, I've made it quite clear that Jaune's actions were nothing short of gallant and we're all quite grateful for his selfless consideration for our feelings." She glanced his way. "I might've also let slip that Pyrrha... was understandably upset that he hadn't divulged the information to her, false as it might've been, and the only way to fix their relationship would be to spend the remainder of the day cheering her up with rides and games together." The heiress put a hand to her forehead and sighed. "Whether or not _he_ puts two and two together is beyond my capacity to calculate and, quite frankly, not my concern."

Blake and Yang exchanged a look while Penny voiced what they were all likely thinking. "I believe the probability of Jaune addressing the issue first to be less than ten percent. Doing so today, less than three."

"That's probably a good thing." Ruby remarked, tilting her head in thought. "After all, it's really nice just hanging out as friends before trying to date! Right?"

The ginger beamed, grabbing the young woman's hand. "Absolutely!"

Yang looked between her girlfriends, noting the fond smiles they were both sporting as they looked at her. That gave her an idea. "Hey, how about we ride the Ferris wheel again?"

Blake raised a brow in surprise. "I thought you were sick and needed bed rest."

The blonde shrugged and stood, rotating her shoulders to work out the kinks Penny and Ruby had beaten into them ( _oh_ she was going to pay back her beloved little sister for that one, tenfold) and laughing. "Yeah, well, I think I'm feeling well enough to enjoy the carnival a _little_ longer. I mean, the room's gonna be there after the carnival's gone, right? We might as well have our fun while we can."

"Just don't overdo it." Pyrrha warned, looking entirely too pleased now that her partner was in better spirits. It probably had something to do with having the previous misunderstanding cleared up as well but the blonde was willing to let that slide. "Can't have my sparring partner ducking out of practice, now can I?"

Yang considered briefly correcting the redhead but dismissed it; in the event she _did_ play sick to get extra cuddle time with her girlfriends, better to have the excuse believable. Pyrrha was a regular taskmaster when it came to their sparring sessions. "I'll be careful! Promise! And you two have fun, alright?"

Pyrrha gave her a smile that treaded the fine line between hopeful and excited but Jaune's expression briefly darkened before he fixed her with a serious look. "Hey, Yang... look, you've got my scroll number _and_ Pyrrha's, right?"

"Uh... yeah?" Ruby had practically mandated they copy all of JNPR's numbers into their scrolls shortly after their teams were formed, just in case. "Why?"

"Well, if you're not feeling one hundred percent and Neptune comes around and starts trouble, give us a call." He crossed his arms over his chest. "We'll get there as soon as possible and keep him from causing too much of a scene."

Ah, geez, she hadn't really thought about that. Hopefully Weiss would be able to dismiss him relatively quickly- and non-violently- if he came back around looking for a fight, because the blonde was already two steps away from booting his ass back to Vacuo. Edging closer to that line would take absolutely no effort on her part.

"Yeah, sure. You two have fun, okay?" She gave him an easy smile, stuffing any unpleasant feelings into a box for the time being. They would deal with Neptune and Sun if and when the duo reappeared; no sense in getting worked up in the meantime. "And if those knuckleheads come around bothering _you_ two, give us a call."

Jaune nodded and smiled, leaving with Pyrrha and heading towards one of the rollercoasters, the tall one the trio had ridden the night before. Yang _really_ hoped Jaune's constitution had improved since their arrival at Beacon... then again, Pyrrha would be there to take care of him, so maybe a little motion sickness was a good thing? Screw it; she could barely figure out how she landed in her current situation, so far be it for her to actively try to orchestrate for someone else!

"So, the Ferris wheel?" She grinned, brushing the backs of her knuckles against her girlfriends' hands, all too pleased when they both reacted with their cute little smiles, hands slipping into hers and fingers threading together automatically.

"Of course," Blake replied, though both of them could feel the chill from their girlfriend's blue eyes as she outright glared at Yang.

"But _no_ rocking the stupid car this time." The heiress chided, jabbing a finger into the blonde's tender shoulder. "I mean it."

"Okay, okay!" She laughed, squeezing the hands in hers. "I'll behave this time." Lilac eyes glanced away briefly as she thought. "And it's your turn in the middle, Weiss."

With no complaints forthcoming- the heiress, in fact, seemed rather pleased with that arrangement- the trio set off towards the Ferris wheel, Ruby and Penny following while chatting about something mechanical that went straight over the blonde's head.

* * *

Yang sighed happily as the car began its slow ascent, stopping shortly after so Ruby and Penny could get on the subsequent car. Seeing as the carnival was much busier than the previous night, it would take a lot longer to go all the way around, not that the three occupants were complaining. The blonde was a little curious as to why Weiss asked for the couple to take the second car but, the moment they were moving, she had her answer as the heiress coaxed both of her girlfriends closer, fully enjoying her position in the middle of them.

Really, what with the size of the Ferris wheel and all, no one could really see into their car, at least not very well, so they were afforded a modicum of privacy. Of the three of them, Blake seemed most eager to capitalize on it, much to Yang's surprise. Almost the moment they were in motion, the Faunus reached up and undid her bow, allowing her ears to twitch and rotate, drawing her girlfriends' attention.

"It might not be the ideal place or time but, given the way you two are looking at me, perhaps we should redefine our boundaries now." Blake smirked, flicking her ears purposefully before continuing. "I'm guessing both of you want to touch them?"

"Might want to be a bit more specific, Blakey- ow!" The blonde frowned, having jolted at the unexpected pinch to her side. "Princess!"

"Don't be vulgar." Weiss reprimanded, though the blush in her cheeks diminished the severity of her words a little. Blue eyes slid to the Faunus, flitting between her newly exposed ears and bright amber eyes. "Are you sure?"

Blake nodded, tilting her head slightly so both of them could reach. Although the heiress was tentative in brushing her fingers along the Faunus' right ear, Yang had no trouble touching the other, absolutely delighted by how soft it felt beneath her fingers. She'd wanted to cajole her partner into letting her feel the appendages ever since they were first revealed, shortly after the docks incident, but had refrained out of respect for, well, what she _thought_ to be the Faunus' clear intentions for Weiss. Whether such contact was intimate in a general sense, it certainly seemed as much in regards to Blake, amber eyes fluttering close as she obviously relished the sensation.

"You're enjoying this." Weiss noted, a distinct breathless quality to her words that struck a chord in Yang just as effectively as Blake's reply.

" _Yes_." The single word was damn near a moan and it took a conscious effort on the blonde's part not to... do something she'd likely get slapped for, to put things lightly.

However, when the heiress turned her head, lilac met blue and they quickly decided that they couldn't, in good conscience, do _nothing_ given the situation. Instead, they moved in tandem, Weiss releasing Blake's ear to trail her fingers down, cupping the Faunus' chin and directing her into a kiss. Meanwhile, Yang's other hand came up and took the heiress' previous spot, softly massaging Blake's cat ears between her fingers.

The effect was _amazing_ to watch from the blonde's perspective. Another moan erupted from Blake only to be swallowed by Weiss as they pressed against each other, the Faunus' hands clutching at the white bolero almost desperately. Much like the night before, the heiress quite easily lost herself to the pleasurable action, allowing herself to be drawn into a deeper kiss as Yang continued rubbing Blake's ears, using her blunt nails to lightly scratch at the bases. It was difficult to tell if the following whimper was in response to Weiss' kissing or the blonde's fingers but neither of her girlfriends cared.

Things might've progressed from there had the ride not come to another stop, prompting the heiress to draw back and catch her breath, much to Blake's protest. Sensing Weiss wouldn't be too cross with her, Yang used her hold on the Faunus' ears to redirect her attentions higher, their lips meeting just above Weiss' head. Blake was far more demanding this time around, not content to let Yang control the pace of the kiss, nipping lightly at the blonde's lower lip in challenge. Rather that nip back, the blonde scratched a little bit harder at the base of Blake's ears and got another moan in response. The Faunus suddenly gasped and Yang drew back just enough to locate what had prompted that response, lilac eyes falling on the heiress. Rather than sit back and watch, Weiss decided to trail her lips along the exposed column of Blake's neck... however, when she looked ready to focus on a particular spot, some niggling part of Yang's mind that somehow remained unaffected by the current situation started ringing alarms bells.

She strongly considered ignoring it altogether and going back to kissing Blake but, after a moment to think about it, instead used one arm to wrap around Weiss' middle and pull her back from the patch of skin she'd decided to claim as her own.

"Wha- Yang!" The heiress whined, tilting her head back to look at her with pleading blue eyes a shade or two darker than usual. Rather than respond right away, the blonde lowered her head and skimmed her lips across the shell of Weiss' ear, the resulting gasp promising she had Weiss' undivided attention.

"Slow down, Princess. We need to talk about it first." Her words were soft, just barely concealing her desire to throw talking out the window entirely. "Why were you against public affection in the first place?"

"Be-because of... my father." Weiss whimpered, biting her lip as Blake- who was not being entirely helpful at the moment, depending on one's perspective- leaned forward and nuzzled the crook of her neck. "He'd throw a fit, hmmmm, if he found out."

"Okay. So, you think it's fair for you to go marking up me and Blakey when we can't do the same without causing a scandal?"

As much as her libido hated her right now, that one sentence caused both of her girlfriends to freeze up instantly, only their harsh breathing filling the car as it began its slow journey once more. Reluctantly, Yang stopped touching Blake's ear entirely, instead softly running her fingers through the raven locks while her other hand soothingly rubbed Weiss' side. She waited patiently for the other two to come around, willing her own racing heart to calm itself despite the gentle pressure being exerted against her front by Weiss and the hand she hadn't noticed slip to her hip that clearly belonged to Blake.

"Dust _damnit_." Weiss spat under her breath, sighing unhappily. "I knew that. I _know_ that. But..."

"We both forgot." Blake lifted her head, blinking away the dilation in her amber eyes as a gentle smile claimed her lips. "I honestly didn't intend for things to go _that_ far."

"You mean you didn't know it would feel that good." The blonde teased, taking the moment to press a kiss to both of her girlfriends' foreheads. "It's alright; we're all fine."

"Thanks to you." Blake leaned up to brush her lips against Yang's cheek while Weiss got the underside of her jaw.

"I'm honestly surprised _you_ were the one to pull us back." The heiress remarked before ducking her head. "Not that I'm ungrateful, of course."

"Well, you both had a pretty good point earlier about me jumping the gun. Honestly, I really didn't _want_ us to stop." The blonde carefully nudged them into a more comfortable position, drawing Weiss fully into her lap while Blake pressed against her side, putting all three of them within kissing distance. "But, I also want us to keep dating, so, the long term benefits beat out the short term ones. At least, this time I was able to recognize that _before_ we got too far into it." She shrugged, flashing them a wide smile. "We're going to have to work on that together, though, because that was hard for me to do."

Her girlfriends watched her for a moment, to the point she raised a brow in curiosity when no replies were forthcoming.

"Wow, you're actually being very serious and mature about this." Weiss commented, wonder coloring her tone.

Well, _of course_ she was being serious and mature about this! Was it honestly so surprising that she wanted this relationship to work?

"Yeah, you didn't even make a pun out of it."

Make a pun out of- "Aw, damnit!" She'd totally blown that one! Well, maybe she could-

Weiss held up a finger, setting it lightly against her lips to quiet her the moment she opened her mouth. "Don't you dare try to make one now. The moment's over."

"I'm sure you'll meet your quota some other way, don't worry." The Faunus lightly teased, nuzzling her cheek to drive away the slight pout overtaking her expression.

Sighing, Yang relaxed her shoulders, having tensed them as she mentally kicked herself for wasting such a golden opportunity. "So, about this boundaries thing? We don't seem to be making much headway into that conversation."

"On the contrary, I'd say we've learned a lot about the subject." The heiress huffed, one hand going up to lightly trace the edge of Blake's cat ears. "We've learned that we're all a little pent up and severely lack self control once we get going. Blake's ears, as pleasurable as the sensation may be, should be reserved only for instances where one of us can remain somewhat coherent, and being between the two of you is quite easily my favorite spot in all of Remnant." Yang and Blake had time to raise a brow at each other before the heiress suddenly went still. "I said that last part out loud, didn't I?"

The blonde felt a mischievous smirk tugging at her lips as a similar expression appeared on Blake's face, the two nodding to their intended targets briefly before going on the attack. In light of how very wound up they still were from before, both of them exercised remarkable restraint as they descended upon opposing sides of Weiss' neck, skimming their lips along the smooth, pale skin.

"Just like this, Princess?" Yang whispered into Weiss' ear, tongue briefly darting out to trace the shell as a shiver wracked the smaller woman's frame, Blake's voice sounding from her other side.

"No place you'd rather be, right?" Oh _wow_ she didn't know the Faunus' voice could sound so downright sultry; it was having a profound effect on Yang and she wasn't even the intended target!

"You're both evil and perfect and please stop because I _won't_." The heiress somehow managed to force out through gritted teeth, chest heaving as her girlfriends took pity on her and slowly drew away, granting her some much needed space. "Thank you."

Yang bit her lip, taking stock of their position so far and what they could do with a few minor alterations. Weiss was small enough, Blake could probably straddle the blonde's hips and there'd still be room between them for the heiress to fit, legs wrapped around the Faunus, back pressing against Yang's chest. Then, she could put her hands on that slim waist while Blake used her nails to trace beautiful patterns on pale thighs, sneaking just under that combat skirt-

"Don't thank us yet," Blake said as she snapped her fingers inches in front of Yang's nose. "Someone's still in dreamland."

"Hey! I was just... planning ahead." The blonde defended, swallowing thickly as she took a deep breath to center herself. Could they really blame her for being so easily distracted right now?

Apparently, Weiss was aware that their current seating arrangement wasn't productive to anything aside from... well, taking a trip into Yang's fantasies, so the heiress smoothly slid out of the blonde's lap, the three of them once again arranged on the car's seat, though they were still pressed somewhat close together. Although she missed having the warmth of both of her girlfriends being so close, Yang managed to settle herself down enough to remember what they were _trying_ to do in the first place.

"So... boundaries... and stuff, um... are we still going to talk about that?" She carefully lifted one arm, allowing Weiss to move closer so she could wrap it around the heiress' shoulders and still touch Blake, who also moved closer so her hand could rest on the Faunus' shoulder. "I mean, I'm all for figuring out a set of rules that works for us, but we keep getting distracted."

Both of her girlfriends chuckled, the heiress leaning into Yang while playing with Blake's hand. "It does seem like the more we talk about them, the more tempted we are to break them, doesn't it? But they're important-"

"Maybe that's where we should start, then. Explaining why we need them." Blake pointed out, lips pulling into a small smile as she flicked her ears. "I don't mind if, when the bow's off, either of you wants to touch them, but my ears are extremely sensitive." Yang could practically feel the sarcastic reply building in the heiress and lightly poked her side to prevent it, earning a small huff in reply. "I still don't feel comfortable not wearing the bow outside of the room, though, so it should be reserved for... special occasions."

Geez, if the blonde had known that this morning, they might not have made it to the carnival at all! Which reminded her...

"Hey, if, uh, you two want- and there's, like nothing going on that requires me to focus- you two can play with my hair a bit. If you want." Yang swallowed, suddenly feeling oddly nervous as blue and amber orbs fell on her, interest shining clear as day in both sets of eyes. "It... felt nice this morning, when Weiss did it. Just don't pull or tug. I... don't think I'd react very well."

Blake raised a brow. "Considering the last time something happened to your hair resulted in an Ursa being beaten to death, I'd take that as a severe understatement."

"Yeah, well, I promise not to go ballistic the first time something bad happens, okay?" The blonde shrugged. "I just take pretty good care of my hair."

"And well you should," the heiress said as she lightly started playing with a few strands that had fallen against her shoulder. "It definitely shows."

Yang's eyes slowly closed as Weiss' hand moved higher, gently stroking through the golden strands with care. When Blake added her hand a moment later, the blonde sincerely felt like she could stay in this little car for the rest of the month with little complaint, so long as the attention didn't stop. She couldn't even remember the last time she allowed someone to touch her hair; it was just better for everyone's health if she maintained a 'look, don't touch' policy and left it at that. But for these two? Nah, they could touch all they want, especially when Blake started using her nails to lightly trace patterns along her scalp while Weiss stroked along the back of her head.

"Yang? Are you still with us?"

Of course she was! She was physically there, wasn't she?

"I think she might've mentally checked out."

No, she was still very much mentally checked in, as in entirely focused on the rather _amazing_ feeling her girlfriends were so generously lavishing upon her. And they weren't even kissing! She didn't know she _could_ feel this good without kissing being part of the equation!

"Do you mean to tell me all we had to do to get her to shut up this whole time was play with her hair a bit?" Weiss huffed, though the smile on her lips was clearly audible. "To think of all the pun free nights we've missed for lack of this crucial knowledge."

At this point, they could knock her excellent sense of humor all they wanted, as long as they didn't stop.

"True, but would we _really_ want that?"

No, no one wanted that.

Weiss chuckled and carefully withdrew her hand, making sure not to accidentally pull any strands in the process. Blake followed a moment later, prompting the blonde to open her eyes and look at both of her girlfriends briefly before leaning in and stealing a quick kiss from both of them. "Welcome back."

"Oh, I didn't 'mentally check out' or anything; I just didn't see a point in responding." She shrugged. "Felt too good... I guess asking for five more minutes of that is out of the question, huh?"

"For right now." Blake smirked. "Tonight's up for debate, though."

Okay, that was something to shoot for, and Yang could appreciate having realistic goals in life, regardless of how simple or mundane they might seem.

Unfortunately, that was just about the only thing she could think of that would fall under 'boundaries' in their relationship; the other only stipulation she could imagine related to Ruby and they didn't seem to have any troubles with that part of the deal. Except remembering that her little sister was in hiding, of course, but that would probably work itself out.

Yang and Blake expectantly looked to their girlfriend, who promptly took a great interest in the fringe of her combat skirt, picking at it with one hand until the blonde put hers over it.

Weiss sighed, shaking her head. "When it comes down to it, _I_ am the one making this difficult, aren't I?"

"Being in a relationship- _any_ relationship- is difficult, Princess," the blonde said, pressing a kiss to her temple while Blake nodded in agreement.

"But we all want this to work, so we're listening." The Faunus leaned forward and stole a gentle kiss, soothing away the heiress' worries. "Just talk to us."

"It's just... my family." Weiss cleared her throat, obviously fighting to buy herself time as she focused anywhere aside from her girlfriends. "Anyone associated with the Schnee name could... become a target-"

"You're concerned about the White Fang?" Blake's voice was so carefully neutral, even _Yang_ was having trouble discerning if she was genuinely upset at that thought or not, but she was thankfully saved from trying to solve the mystery by Weiss' quick denial.

"No, nothing of the sort! We're huntresses in training, Blake; I'm certain we're more than capable of holding our own in a fight, no matter what may happen." The heiress reached up and fiddled with her ponytail, apparently finished picking at her skirt for the time being. "I'm more concerned about reporters looking for a cheap scoop or... my father overreacting." Her brows furrowed, teeth lightly biting into her lip before she continued. "He wasn't entirely pleased with my decision to attend Beacon. The last thing I want is for him to attempt harassing either of you because of your importance to me."

"You don't want us used as leverage." The Faunus surmised, lips twisting into a sour frown as she settled back against the car's seat. "Or viewed as liabilities."

Sensing the tension growing between her girlfriends, Yang lightly nudged their heiress' side. Sure, _she_ could step up and keep Blake from brooding too heavily, but given the nature of the conversation, it would be better for everyone if Weiss was the one to smooth things over.

"Blake, I meant it when I said I'm not ashamed of you." The smallest of the trio maneuvered herself into the Faunus' lap, loosely holding their somewhat grumpy girlfriend. "I'm not going to allow my father to intimidate me into changing my mind but I don't want anything bad happening to either of you because of me." She gently cupped Blake's face, lowering her voice slightly. "I will never look as you or Yang as a liability but it would be foolish of me to believe that our relationship won't put both of you in danger." Lightly, so very lightly, Weiss brushed her lips against the Faunus', careful not to initiate a full kiss quite yet. "I've lost too many people in my life, Blake. I don't think I'd survive losing either of you, too."

The heartbreaking sincerity of those last few words melted away the Faunus' limited resistance, leaning forward to capture Weiss' lips in a reassuring kiss. Yang, meanwhile, scooched closer, slipping her arms around their shoulders and holding them, not minding in the least that she was missing out on the kissing at present. While she wasn't as... sensitive to how their relationship might be viewed by others, the blonde recognized that her girlfriends were still a bit new to the concept and definitely a bit vulnerable. Heck, it took a concerted effort on her- _and_ Ruby's- part to get the two to own up to their feelings, so of course things would be a bit rocky to start, at least whenever the rest of the world had to be taken into account. If they were the only three in Remnant, there would be nothing to worry about!

... Except the whole 'last three people in the world' thing. That might suck.

"I'm sorry." Blake breathed, separating enough from Weiss to nuzzle into Yang's shoulder, an action the heiress promptly copied. "Some part of me still can't believe this is real. Any of this."

"Well, it's really real, so you better get used to it, Blakey." The blonde whispered into raven locks, just a few inches shy of Blake's cat ears, supremely amused by the resulting shiver. Rather than continue her torment, she moved to white strands next. "And you need to relax, Princess. We survived Beacon this long; we can beat whatever gets thrown our way, okay?"

"Right."

"Good." Yang smiled, pulling her girlfriends a little firmer against her, neither complaining in the process. Although there was a tiny part of her that wanted to go back to making out, the blonde found herself quite content to remain as they were, just soaking in the moment with two of the most important people in her life.

The car came to a stop again- which it had a few times previously but Yang couldn't have cared less earlier- and the blonde took a quick glance around, noting they were perched at the top of the Ferris wheel. The entire city and the forest that lay beyond was spread before them, only slightly less impressive than the night before. While they could certainly see farther in the sunlight, the lack of glowing streetlights took something away from it all, something she couldn't quite name. Still, it was a unique and breathtaking perspective.

"Vale is really beautiful." Weiss commented offhandedly, blue eyes scanning horizon.

"It _is_ a spectacular view." Blake smiled softly, following the heiress' gaze.

Lilac eyes dropped to glance between her girlfriends, lips curling into a wider smile. "Yeah. Best in all of Remnant."

Both of her girlfriends glanced up to check exactly where she was looking, a light blush coming to their cheeks as they each noticed that Yang was utterly unconcerned with what lay beyond their little car.

But, hey, she was being honest! On one arm was a fierce Faunus huntress and, on the other, a headstrong Schnee heiress, both of whom were pressing chaste kisses to her cheeks and leaning even further into her embrace. _No one_ could possibly get a better view than this!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is essentially the point when I realized I couldn't avoid the 'E' rating. Damnit.


	6. Clearing the Air

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't want to wake up early, so here's another chapter.

Yang waited until Weiss and Blake disembarked before climbing out of the Ferris wheel car herself, rubbing her cheeks discreetly as she went. Not because of the faint tingling left behind by her girlfriends' kisses, of course not, but rather to soothe her burning muscles. She'd never really noticed it before but, honestly, she probably hadn't smiled this much in years, and _that_ was saying something!

"Once our illustrious leader returns, what should we do next?" Weiss glanced around them, crossing her arms over her chest. "I daresay we've already experienced the more thrilling attractions the carnival has to offer."

"We could try another ride." The Faunus teasingly offered, lips curling into a smirk at the slight glower she received. "I meant like the Tunnel of Love ride. No sharp turns or surprising drops, promise."

The heiress huffed and rolled her eyes. "Only you would suggest something so ridiculously cliche... _and_ hopelessly romantic."

Yang chuckled, setting her hands on her hips. "Aw, come on Princess, don't pretend like you weren't thinking about suggesting it yourself." She took a few steps closer to her girlfriends, mentally congratulating herself for not instantly throwing her arms around their shoulders like she wanted so badly to do. "Besides, it's kinda fun, right? Just floating along in a little boat, relaxing together?"

"It might hold _some_ appeal." Weiss admitted, ducking her head slightly. "And I suppose it _is_ a relatively harmless ride."

Blake bumped her shoulder against the heiress' playfully, amber eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. "It can be a bit... dark, though, once you get into the tunnel. It might be a bit tough to see anything."

"For some of us." She muttered, clearing her throat to speak up. "The lack of lighting's not... necessarily a bad thing, really." Weiss conceded as the blonde turned her attention to the ride. Given their likely next stop, there was a lot of teasing she could get in the moment Ruby and Penny got off the Ferris wheel and she wasn't about to waste the opportunity!

When Ruby and Penny disembarked- and, geez, she probably shouldn't have rocked their car so much last night, given the ominous creaking the entire damn wheel just produced- the blonde's lips split into the largest shit eating grin she'd ever sported. While her sister had the sense to immediately be on guard, Penny was entirely unsuspecting. This would be _too_ easy.

"Rubes, Penny! We found another ride we wanna check out." She began, feigning innocence. "It... might be a bit too intense for you two, though."

The ginger raised a brow. "I'm quite certain our constitutions are more than suited to any of the rides here."

"Don't fall for her tricks, Penny." Silver eyes narrowed in suspicion. "She's scheming."

"What? Me? Scheme? Come on, Rubes!" Yang laughed, tucking a few locks behind her ear. "Weiss, maybe, but I don't think I _can_ scheme."

She briefly ignored the heiress' indignant huff, seeing as her other girlfriend chuckled; once she got one over on her sister, she'd remind Weiss that she was only teasing.

"I've lived with you too long to believe that." Ruby grumbled, though her shoulders dropped slightly. "What's the ride?"

"Aw, don't worry about it. We can meet up with you two after we're done." The blonde turned, taking a few steps towards her awaiting girlfriends. "We can meet, say, back here in an hour?"

"Yang!" In a flurry of rose petals, her sister was standing in front of her, glaring ever so ineffectually up at her. "Just tell us what ride you're going on! I know you're just trying to trick me into doing or saying something embarrassing." She sighed. "It's a running theme today."

She held up her hands in surrender. "Whoa, sis, calm down! I just don't think it's really up your alley, that's all."

"Would you just spit it out already! Maybe we _want_ to go on the ride, too!" Then she got a gleam in her eye, crossing her arms over her chest. "Leader's orders, Yang!"

The blonde laughed. "Alright! Geez, Rubes, I just didn't think you'd want to ride the Tunnel of Love _that_ bad!"

"The Tunnel of _what_?" Her sister swallowed harshly, letting out a nervous chuckle. "We-he-hell I think I might've spoken too soon, I mean, maybe Penny doesn't want to go?"

"What does this tunnel entail?" The ginger looked at Yang with wide, curious eyes, completely missing Ruby bemoaning that she just _had_ to ask.

Yang shrugged. "Usually, they have these little boats that people get into and they float along a little water track thing. It's a lot of fun for people who are, ya know, _dating_."

The blonde smirked, feeling that last line was the proverbial nail in the coffin to embarrass the shit out of her beloved little sis. Her expression fell, however, when Penny looked genuinely uncomfortable for... perhaps the first time, that she'd seen anyway.

"I... Ruby? Would it be okay if we... didn't go on that one?" Her green eyed gaze fixated on her shoes, causing the sisters to exchange worried glances.

"Of course, Penny." The young woman stepped closer, putting a hand on the ginger's shoulder to comfort her. "Do you not like water or something?"

"Uh, yes, that's correct. I do not like water." The ginger nodded, hiccupping as soon as the words left her mouth.

Yang raised a brow, turning towards her sister. "Is she-"

"Maybe you three should go on without us." Ruby offered, worry flashing clear as day in her silver eyes. "Penny and I will meet you back here in an hour, okay?"

The blonde glanced at her girlfriends, noting that they had heard every word and were subtly encouraging her to just agree. "Yeah... okay. Be careful." Reluctantly, Yang rejoined her girlfriends, allowing them to gently pull her in the direction of the ride. "I feel like a jerk now. I was only teasing..."

"I'm not sure if Penny _is_ upset, Yang, but you can formulate a proper apology later."

Blake nodded. "Let Ruby take care of her for now."

"Yeah, okay." She puffed out a slight sigh, hoping she hadn't offended the little ginger. Teasing Ruby was definitely her plan but not at the expense of Penny; she was kinda banking on the young woman's obliviousness in that case.

When they met up again, she'd make amends. They were already far enough into the crowd to make finding the duo a bit of a tall order. And, really, she probably didn't have much to worry about, seeing as Penny wasn't the type to hold grudges.

* * *

Once again, with only a little nonverbal encouragement, the attendant allowed the triad to clamber into the same boat, squeezing in a bit more comfortably than they had in the bumper car earlier. Much to her surprise, both of her girlfriends practically mandated _she_ sit in the middle which, hey, was absolutely okay with her! The moment their little boat disappeared beyond the cheesy little barrier of paper hearts, the blonde put her arms around their shoulders, beaming as they leaned into her sides.

What with the calm rocking of the boat, the soft string music coming from the ride's hidden speakers, and the warmth of her girlfriends, Yang felt like she just might drift off. The time was edging towards dinner and the sun would set soon after; maybe they could go back to the room after she apologized to Penny and get some cuddle time in before bed. For their first date, things had gone pretty damn well, in her opinion.

But... it could always get _better_.

She jumped, slightly, at the sudden sensation of fingers gently combing through her hair, barely able to see in the darkened tunnel that only sported a few carefully placed red lights for illumination. The moment she recognized the fingers as Weiss', joined shortly after by Blake's, Yang couldn't help but allow her eyes to close and relax into the uncomfortable plastic seat like it was a down blanket.

"I think she likes it." Blake offhandedly commented, nails lazily tracing behind her ear and down to the base of her neck, hitting a particularly sensitive patch of skin that forced a gasp from the blonde's lips. "But it's so hard to tell."

"That _is_ rather unfortunate." Weiss mused, breath tickling her ear. "How will we ever know if she likes it?"

Yang groaned quietly. Now they were just being cruel, slowing their ministrations and acting like they were going to pull away, and she couldn't figure out which way to turn her head to entice them to stay. "Please."

"At least you still have your manners."

"Please what, Yang?" Blake chided, nails hitting that specific spot again. "You should be specific."

"Don't stop. That. This." She hissed out through clenched teeth, fighting to get her mouth to cooperate with the jumbled thoughts flying through her head. She should've known these two would pull something like this; should've known and been _thankful_ because it still felt _so_ amazing. "Please don't stop."

Both of her girlfriends replied with low, throaty chuckles that made everything so much better and easily a thousand times _worse_. Then, they returned to playing with her hair, tracing patterns over her scalp, seemingly cataloging each and every spot that made her gasp or shiver.

This was new for Yang. Sure, she'd had more than a few intense make out sessions in her life. And, maybe, she knew a thing or two about sex. And perhaps she'd gotten pretty familiar with her body after hitting puberty and developing one hell of a sex drive. All of that meant _nothing_ in the face of this: dark seclusion, hands in her hair, acutely aware of every breath her girlfriends were taking and how it pressed them just a little closer, if only briefly.

It was taking conscious effort not to squeeze their shoulders tighter in response, a desperate attempt to anchor herself and not float away on the waves of utter contentment or get riled to the point she'd do something stupid.

"Yang?" Weiss' voice in her ear prompted another shiver. "Are you still with us?"

How many times were they going to go over this?

"What's wrong?" Blake whispered into her other ear. "Cat got your tongue?"

She wanted to laugh, because that was a cute pun, but the soft kiss pressed just below her ear in tandem with nails hitting just the right spot turned the sound into a garbled moan.

Shit, she just outright _moaned_.

_These two were going to drive her insane!_

"That's much better." Weiss breathed out a laugh. "I think she really liked that."

"Then perhaps we should move on," the Faunus replied, pressing closer. "Just remember: no marks."

No ma-

Uh oh.

Instinctively, she tensed, trying to will her brain and mouth and lungs to cooperate long enough to suggest that this might not be the best time for this sort of thing, but that lasted all of two seconds before she became useless jello.

Weiss was using her left hand to gently massage her scalp, stopping every so often to card her fingers through long blonde locks, all the while pressing a litany of kisses to Yang's neck. Mostly, it was the soft press of lips tracing tendons and the blood pounding just beneath her skin, but, occasionally, the very tip of a wet tongue would lightly flick across her skin, keeping her heart pounding.

Blake, meanwhile, was on the other side, focusing on carefully raking her nails over the nape of the blonde's neck, kissing along her jawline and dipping down to lightly scrape her teeth down at the juncture of her shoulder and neck, having used her other hand to move the ever present orange scarf aside. The Faunus rarely took pity on her but, every _fucking_ time she 'missed' those sweet spots with her nails and went back to kissing her jaw, Weiss would pick up the slack.

It was _maddening_.

This was beyond turned on, far beyond what she _thought_ was her threshold for enduring foreplay- and make no mistake, that's _exactly_ what they were doing, and it was wonderfully horrible torture- without becoming an active participant. Her legs twitched and she fought the impulse to rub her thighs together, fully aware it wouldn't do her a damn bit of good. If anything, it would draw her girlfriends' attention and they might see fit to continue torturing her, and she really wasn't sure how much more she could take of them pushing her buttons like this.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Yang?" Blake's voice was low and sultry, that same tone she used on the Ferris wheel. _Dust_ that was amazing.

"Speak up," Weiss said, her tone forceful despite the low volume of the order. "We want to hear you."

" _Yesss_." She hissed out, drinking in the little giggles they worked hard to smother and groaning as Blake's other hand began tracing along the bottom of her scarf, brushing against the exposed section of her chest and teasingly dipping lower on every other pass. Just a few more and she'd reach the tops of Yang's breasts and the blonde wasn't sure if that was an amazing or horrible thing quite yet.

The hand Weiss placed on her thigh, mere inches below the hem of her shorts, however, pushed her over the edge.

"Stop." A single syllable, growled out through gritted teeth, brought both of her girlfriends to an instant halt. Her breathing was ragged and uneven, a sharp contrast to Blake and Weiss, who were obviously holding their breath out of fear. She didn't need to see their faces to feel the worry that instantly locked up their postures.

That wouldn't do.

Without words- they were beyond her in that moment, how they fit together, how they were pronounced- Yang dropped her arms from their shoulders to their waists, coaxing them to both sit in her lap. She _needed_ them closer, would've preferred having a soft surface nearby for it really, but made do with what was available. Her girlfriends, still unsure if they'd crossed a line, complied easily, each sitting on one of her thighs and carefully removing their hands from her entirely.

That was an unfortunate side effect- she was _really_ liking them playing with her hair, wow, that was awesome- but pushed it aside, instead holding both of them close and showering whatever skin she could reach with butterfly kisses. Speaking was still out of the question but she wanted them relaxed, not bracing for a tirade that wasn't going to come.

It took half a minute before Blake eventually relaxed, nuzzling her temple briefly. Weiss took a little longer to calm down, only allowing herself to fully accept the affection when the Faunus reached out and rubbed her arm soothingly.

"Sorry." Yang mumbled, feeling like her throat was dry from panting, leaving her voice sounding a bit on the raw side. "That... got more intense than I was expecting." Given their positions, she could feel the inhalation both of her girlfriends took to either apologize or explain themselves; she was having _none_ of it. "I liked it- really- but it's like Weiss said earlier. If _you two_ didn't stop, I sure as hell wouldn't."

Words weren't enough- they were _never_ enough, it seemed- so she showed them as well. The hand on Weiss' hip slid up, sneaking beneath her bolero to trace the soft material of her shirt, the smaller woman so slight Yang had no trouble counting each rib as her fingers wandered. Blake, literally on the other hand, was a bit easier, exposed midriff granting the blonde access to the toned skin of her tummy, lightly raking her blunt nails and relishing the gasp that followed.

As Blake arched her body, head falling back to let out a hiss of pleasure, Weiss leaned further into Yang's embrace, allowing the blonde to catch her lips with a slight turn of her head. This time, she couldn't allow the heiress to control _anything_ , too ramped up to temper her actions. When her tongue flicked against petal soft lips, Weiss didn't even try to deny her, admitting her entrance and failing to stifle a sweet little whimper as Yang deepened the kiss, one hand desperately clutching to her jacket.

It was brief- as much as she dared, what with the little voice in the back of her mind reminding her that they were inexorably drifting closer to the end of the ride and the loss of their limited privacy- and it left both of them burning for more, Weiss chasing after her once she broke the kiss. The heiress settled for pressing into her neck again, obviously fighting the impulse to focus on a specific spot for too long while Yang turned her head, readily met with her other girlfriend's lips.

This time, her partner's ability to read her so well paid off handsomely, the Faunus parting her lips without being asked, gentle vibrations from a poorly concealed purr lending an extra bit of excitement to the sensation. Daring to push things just a little farther, the blonde's hand strayed up, teasing the hem of Blake's white shirt before slipping under it, just barely brushing unseen skin with her fingertips. The reaction was immediate, a sharp inhalation that prompted the Faunus to tilt her head down, breaking the kiss and pressing their foreheads together, nails biting into the thick fabric of her brown jacket to ground them both. Through shuddering breaths she purred a little louder, bringing a smile to Yang's lips as she slowly leaned back.

Although there was a lot more she _wanted_ to do, she was satisfied that she got her point across; she was _way_ too turned on at present for them to double team her like that and not give her adequate opportunity to reciprocate. In the dim lighting, Yang licked her tingling lips and waited for her girlfriends to regain their bearings, exchanging triumphant smiles before leaning in and kissing each other, celebrating their obvious success at pushing her to her limits.

They weren't immune to their own tricks, however, and both of her girlfriends were still a little high strung after all the teasing that had occurred throughout the day. It showed in their movements, tongues hungrily slipping in to claim the other's mouth as they leaned towards one another. Deciding to help a little, Yang moved her legs, bringing Weiss and Blake closer together and merely watch as their aggressive dance continued.

She took maybe a little pride in the fact that, despite being so intently focused on the other, neither of her girlfriends released their hold on the blonde's jacket.

Personally, Yang was inclined to let things continue heading in this direction, rather enthralled by the spectacle and eager to join in once they broke apart. However, her lilac eyes caught sight of the fading rays of the setting sun shining just beyond the next bend in the tunnel, signalling an end to their limited privacy.

Begrudgingly muttering half a dozen curses, the blonde returned her hands to her girlfriends' hips and squeezed lightly. "Fun's over."

Weiss and Blake parted, sparing her a curious glance before noting the ride was about to end. While the Faunus seemed to take the realization in stride, leaning in to sneak one last chaste kiss to each of her girlfriends' cheeks, the heiress pouted.

"Hey, no sad faces, Princess." Yang chuckled, leaning forward to brush her lips against Weiss' temple. "We're fine."

"I know." The heiress sighed, leaning into her shoulder while reaching out to pull Blake in as well, both of them tucking their heads under Yang's chin as she held them. "I just wish... things were different. That we... _I_ didn't have to hide."

"Weiss..." Blake softly sighed, caressing the heiress' cheek. "Don't dwell on that; we understand." Yang could hear the smack of lips as they exchanged a reassuring kiss. "We're still here."

"And we're not going anywhere." The blonde murmured, pressing kisses to their hair. She paused, a wicked smile coming to her lips as she continued. "Okay, that's not _entirely_ true." When amber and blue eyes curiously looked up at her, she gave them a huge, beaming smile. "I think the carnival took a lot out of me. Guess I'm still a bit... sick, ya know? I think I'm going to head back to the room after we find Penny and Rubes."

Despite the lack of light, Yang caught the matching smirks overtaking her girlfriends' expressions.

"It would be quite rude not to ensure she made it back safely." Weiss' shoulders relaxed, tension flowing from her form as the promise of picking up close to where they left off enticed her.

"And we should stay with her, nurse her back to health." Blake chuckled, raising a hand to carefully- and rather chastely- tuck an errant blonde lock behind Yang's ear. "Don't worry, Yang. We'll take care of you."

The blonde smiled, enjoying the underlying double entendre and hugging her girlfriends a little tighter. They were almost at the end of the ride now, so they would have to separate shortly. Which would suck, really, but it wasn't that-

Yang blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to dispel the lingering brightness caused by the sudden flash of a white bulb. What the hell was _that_?

Stunned and confused, it ended up being Blake to recover first. "Did either of you see a photo booth by the ride's exit when we were waiting in line?"

"Yes, there was... a little shack..." Weiss' eyes grew wide, realization setting a moment later. "They took a picture of us."

Well. _Fuck_.

Think fast, think fast!

"We'll get them to delete it. It's not a big deal." She offered nonchalantly, slowly moving her arms from around their waist to their shoulders as Blake slid onto the seat. It took Weiss a few more seconds to catch up, worry shining in those blue orbs. Unfortunately, they were too close to the tunnel's exit to chance a kiss now, so Yang settled for smiling and brushing her thumb over the heiress' cheek. "Hey, listen to me Princess. It's going to be alright. We'll just talk to the photo booth guys and have them erase the picture. It's _not_ a big deal."

"Yang's right." Blake soothingly added. "It's a carnival, Weiss, not a permanent establishment. They probably aren't connected to the CCT, so deleting it at its source removes it completely."

 _That_ seemed to snap her back to reality, Weiss slipping quietly back to her side of the boat and crossing her arms over her chest. The silence didn't bode well, weighing heavily on Yang and Blake as they waited for the boat to float into the little docking station. Unable to help herself, the blonde kept sneaking glances at both of them, worried about the heiress' sudden withdrawal and the Faunus' equally helpless look. The moment the attendant waved them off, Weiss was in motion, marching straight towards the cheesy little booth set beside the ticket stand with a camera on the banner.

As if _that_ wasn't a headache waiting to happen, Yang caught a flash of bright blue out of the corner of her eye.

The universe was conspiring against them. That had to be it.

"Blakey, go make sure Princess isn't too hard on them." The blonde flashed her girlfriend a smile. "I'll... hang back. You know, so we don't draw too much attention."

The Faunus raised a brow, amber eyes glancing away briefly and obviously catching on to her plan. "Yang-"

"Look, I'm not going to be mean or anything, I'm just going to tell them that now really isn't the time." She nodded towards the photo booth. "You really think Weiss is in the right frame of mind to deal with Neptune? Do _you_ really want to deal with Sun right now?"

Blake's eyes narrowed slightly before she sighed. "Just... stall them for now. We'll be right back."

Nodding, the blonde turned and pushed her way through the crowd, standing in front of the would-be lover boys for the third time in the past twenty four hours. She really hoped this didn't become, like, a regular thing, because these two were already wearing her patience pretty thin. At least they weren't checking out her girlfriends this time around.

"Are you just going to pop out of nowhere _every_ time we try to talk to them?" Neptune grumbled, scowling at her. "Because, seriously, this date blocking routine is getting pretty old."

"Yeah, Yang, what gives?" Sun, on the other hand, looked more hurt than upset over the whole thing. "I thought you were on our side!"

"Fellas, look, things are just a little hectic right now," the blonde said, not bothering to use her usual sweet voice to get her point across. It wasn't like she was _angry_ , really, just more than a little fed up with constant interruptions. Plus, she'd much rather be spending this time keeping Weiss from worrying herself sick over the stupid picture. "Weiss and Blake will give you a call when they're ready to talk."

"Who are you, their mother?" Neptune took a step towards her, an obvious challenge.

With remarkable restraint she bit back her immediate response of 'I'm their _girlfriend_ ' to instead try the reasonable route again. "Look, dude, I'm not _asking_ you to back off. I'm _telling_ you to give them space."

Neptune leaned back slightly, looking her up and down before cracking a smile. "Wow, you _are_ the feisty one. I can dig that."

Did... did he just...

"Yang, listen, if you're trying to get _my_ attention-"

He was _not_ being serious.

"- you don't have to keep skirting the issue." He reached up, tugging his collar up slightly. "Consider it yours."

Damnit. He _was_ being serious.

Two completely unrelated sparks of anger erupted from that realization. The first, and smaller, one being that he honestly thought _she_ would have trouble getting _his_ attention. Not to dip too far into the river of narcissism but, hey, she didn't have problems getting _anyone's_ attention, damnit!

The larger spark, however, was that this jackass had _the nerve_ to try hitting on her while he was _also_ trying to hit on one of her girlfriends. She might've put up with it when they were nothing more than teammates and friends, but she sure as hell didn't _like_ it, so if he was really about to play that game, she was seriously considering working him over worse than she had Junior!

Clenching her fists and teeth, the blonde growled out a warning, eyes flashing red. "Walk away, Neptune. Now."

"See, now you're sending me mixed signals-"

"Then let me _un_ mix them for you." Yang got in his face, unable to fully contain her temper this time around. She was _way_ too turned on and frustrated with his antics to give much of a shit about the possible ramifications. "I'm not interested in you. Neither is Weiss. So take your stupid suave guy games out of the immediate area before I punt you back to Vacuo myself." She paused. "Was I clear enough _that_ time?"

Neptune blinked at her, mouth gaping open at the unmistakable hostility coloring her tone. She honestly thought he was a step away from seeing if she was being serious about the threat when Sun put a hand on their shoulders and forced them apart.

"Okay, so, someone's a little... dense and the other's a little angry, but come on, guys, we're pals, right?" The Faunus looked between them, monkey tail twitching nervously behind him. "So let's just... take a breather and, uh, reconvene later, like, next week or something, okay?"

"No, hold on, I think we're onto something here." His eyes darted just past her shoulder, a small grin coming to his lips. "You _have_ been driving us off intentionally! You're trying to have Weiss all to yourself, aren't you?"

Okay, not _technically_ true, but that was arguing semantics, really.

"Last I checked, you aren't her girlfriend." He muttered briefly before raising his voice a bit louder. "So I don't think it's right for you to be making decisions for her. Weiss is her own person-"

"And standing right here, thank you very much." The heiress cut in, putting a hand on Yang's bicep to coax her into stepping back, allowing Weiss to step between them.

"Snow Angel, I didn't even see you come up!" Neptune shot the shorter woman a winning smile that had the blonde flexing her arm, ready to punch it right off him.

"First off, don't call me that." Weiss held up a hand, ticking her impromptu list off on her fingers. "Secondly, you most certainly did, Neptune Versilias; I am _not_ blind. Thirdly, I'll have you know that you are causing a ridiculous scene, carrying on the way you are, so let's move this to a location more suited to conversation."

Blinking in surprise, Yang glanced around and took stock of the loose circle that had formed around them, carnival goers obviously waiting to see if a fight was about to break out. Wow, she hadn't meant to draw any attention.

Shit, she was probably in trouble with one if not _both_ of her girlfriends at this point.

"Uh, right, okay Snow-" He gulped at the absolutely chilling glare Weiss sent his way. "I mean, lead the way, Weiss. Ma'am."

With a nod, the heiress started marching away, shoulder set and head held high as people quickly moved out of her way. Neptune followed, shoulder slumped and hands in his pockets, obviously not looking forward to the impending conversation. Sun was right on his heels, a small smile on his face though his tail was hanging lower than usual.

Maybe she should leave this part to Weiss and Blake. She probably wouldn't be of much use talking to them, seeing as she'd already lost her cool. Damnit. Why'd she let him get under her skin like that?

"Yang." Her gaze snapped to the side, where Blake was gently taking her hand, threading their fingers together. "Come on."

Listlessly, the blonde allowed herself to be led after the others, eventually sitting down at a table Weiss had picked out under one of the pavilions, far and away from the hustle and bustle of the carnival. On one side, Neptune and Sun sat, the former on edge while the latter rested his head on the table. On the other side sat Weiss, waiting for Blake and Yang to sit down before diving into the conversation. As pretty much nothing more than a witness to the exchange, Yang sat on the other side of Blake, allowing her to sit next to Weiss so that both of them were across from their respective wanna-be paramours.

Yang tried her hardest to sink into her seat, not wanting any part of the ice cold fury she could see dancing in those beautiful blue eyes.

"Now then, seeing we're in a much better location, how about we get to the bottom of this, shall we?" Weiss' gaze landed on Neptune. "What in Dust's name did you think you were doing, carrying on like that?"

Put on the defensive, the young man instantly did the logical thing: attempted to sell her out. "Hey, it's not _my_ fault your teammate has some sort of unrequited crush angst going on; I've been trying to hang out with you since yesterday but _she_ kept giving us the run around!"

The heiress blinked, took a deep breath, and then let it out slowly. Then, in a way that was so Weiss-y that everyone should've seen it coming, she abruptly stood up and slammed her palms on the table, leaning over to enunciate quite clearly in Neptune's face. "And which part, _exactly_ , do you think is unrequited? Weren't you _just_ making a show of berating Yang for making decisions for me? Did it not occur to you that she was doing _what I asked her to_ every time?"

Against her better judgment, the blonde muttered a gentle correction. "In his defense, the first time _was_ all me."

She instantly bit back any attempts to smooth things over when Weiss' ice cold fury was sent her way. Those two knuckleheads were on their own; no way she was risking digging herself a deeper hole because they couldn't just listen to her.

"Whoa, wait, you..." Neptune blinked. "You like Yang?"

Weiss sat back in her seat, massaging her temple gently. " _Yes_ , I'm glad not everything I said went over your head, you complete and utter _dolt_. We're _dating_. Should I repeat that or was once enough?"

"Hold up," Sun said, raising a brow at Blake. "I thought you said _you_ were dating Weiss."

Before Neptune could get started again, Blake smoothly replied. "I said that, and was then cut off. I was _about_ to say that I'm also dating Yang."

"Just like I'm dating Yang and _also_ dating Blake." Weiss raised a brow, as if challenging the knuckleheads to dispute either point.

Something about the completely level tone Blake used and the agitated but forceful voice Weiss used to say those words astounded the blonde. As if admitting to their unorthodox relationship was as common as remarking on the weather. Or... like it was a simple fact that wouldn't be altered any time soon, so forget trying to argue. Even if she was in trouble, listening to both of her girlfriends openly admit to their relationship like that... well, she wouldn't mind being in the proverbial dog house for a bit, all things considered.

Yang watched with only a hint of amusement as the gears in both young mens' heads ground to a sudden halt. They slowly turned to look at each other, as if confirming they both heard the same thing, then looked across the table.

"So... all three of you..." Sun made a vague gesture, then coughed into his fist. "Oh... well... Okay. That... makes sense I guess." He shrugged. "And it's really hot."

"Sun." Blake warned, bow crumpling slightly as her ears nearly flattened.

The monkey Faunus held up his hands. "Hey, just making an observation! I'm cool with it, really!" He chuckled, scratching at the back of his head. "Kinda kicking myself for, um, not saying something sooner, even if it didn't really matter. Anyway, that- that's not important." He reached across the table, gently patting Blake's hand. "I'm happy for you, Blake. You deserve to be surrounded by people who care about you."

A smile came to her partner's lips that forced one onto Yang's, too. "Thanks, Sun. I'm sorry if I... lead you on- it wasn't my intention."

He shrugged. "Things happen. We're still friends, yeah?"

"Of course."

The table fell silent momentarily before Sun rolled his eyes and elbowed Neptune's side.

"What? Oh, right, um... yeah." The young man ran a hand through his hair, mindful of his goggles. "I'm happy for you, Weiss, I just... feel _really_ bad about this morning."

"This morning?"

"When we were checking you out," Neptune replied automatically, noting his mistake far too late. "Uh... Yang mentioned that... right?"

Her girlfriends slowly turned their heads to look at her, Blake wearing her carefully neutral expression while Weiss was sporting her Ice Queen mask.

This did _not_ bode well for the blonde.

"No, actually, she didn't," Weiss said, raising one brow to demand an explanation.

Well... shit. Might as well be honest.

"I was _going_ to mention it." The blonde sighed, adjusting her scarf to its normal position. She'd nearly forgotten Blake had moved it during the last ride and, honestly, fiddling with something was a good distraction. "But I didn't want either of you thinking I was just jealous. They're important to you two and I respect that, so the _last_ thing I wanted to do was make it seem like I had a problem with them."

"As noble as that might've been, the next time you catch someone ogling me like I'm a prime rib, I expect to be notified." The heiress huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and sending a pointed look at Neptune.

"I'm siding with Weiss on this one." Blake glanced at Sun, who sheepishly smiled in return. "Regardless of who might be checking me out, I'd at least like to be made aware so I can handle the situation myself."

"Yes. That, exactly." Weiss looked across the table. "And _you two_ should learn some manners!"

Neptune and Sun raised their hands in surrender, nodding along to dissuade another of Weiss' dramatic outbursts. "Look, Sn- Weiss, we're sorry! You two were leaned over and... um..." The intellectual cleared his throat, a weak smile on his lips as he noted the _very_ displeased looks directed his way. "Uh, a-anyway, we're sorry, to all three of you."

Okay, _that_ caught her attention, the blonde blinking in surprise.

Sun chuckled. "Aw, come on, Yang; we're not stupid!" He nodded towards Blake and Weiss. "You were really cool with us this morning when you didn't have to be; when _we_ probably wouldn't have been cool if the positions were reversed."

"You also... well, you could've totally ratted us out this morning and tried to make us look like complete jerks. Not that it wouldn't be warranted, of course!" He quickly amended, noting the cold blue eyes directed his way. "Just, ya know, that was cool of you. Thanks for looking out for us."

" _All_ of us." Blake added, shooting her a soft smile that was thankfully echoed by her other girlfriend.

As a sign of good will, the two knuckleheads offered up their fists and Yang had to laugh, brushing her knuckles against theirs lightly. "So, we're all still friends, right?"

After a round of affirmations- though Weiss was a little reluctant to give hers without a few more apologies from both Neptune and Sun- the trio were offered a free meal, to further apologize for the whole mess. Blake quickly declined, however.

"Sorry guys, but we have to find Ruby and Penny." The Faunus slipped an arm around Yang's waist, slinging the blonde's arm over her shoulders. "It's only a matter of time before Yang won't be able to to do much."

"Yes, she develops terrible migraines when her Semblance activates outside of battle." Weiss explained, taking up a similar position on the blonde's other side. "We're taking her back to the room so she can rest."

"Aw, geez, sorry again." Sun frowned, tail curling behind him. "We didn't mean to make you three leave the carnival early."

"Yeah, our bad, seriously." Neptune looked at his companion. "If there's anything you ladies need, just let us know."

With a few goodbyes, the trio were on their way to the designated rendezvous, the blonde mostly playing the part of someone who needed assistance supporting her weight while slung between her girlfriends. However, once she was certain they were out of earshot, she just _had_ to ask.

"You both realize I've never had a migraine a day in my life, right?"

"Of course, you oaf; what did you expect us to say?" Weiss snapped, though her heart obviously wasn't in it, at least not to the degree she'd laid into Neptune mere minutes ago. "Do you think we'd be afforded a moment of privacy if we'd said 'no thanks, we're going to return to our room and ravish our girlfriend'?"

"Sun _is_ pretty good at climbing trees. And buildings. And pretty much anything." Blake mused, shaking her head. "Remind me to check the window when we get back. Just to be safe."

"Uh, can we go back to the 'ravish our girlfriend' part? 'Cause I want to hear more about _that_."

"You are _insufferable_."

"I'm just asking if you two have a gameplan!" The blonde defended, a smile on her lips now that the drama storm had passed. "Maybe I can give you some pointers?"

"Yes, because you're so very _difficult_ to figure out." Blake smirked, moving the arm slung around her waist up, lightly brushing against the base of the blonde's neck.

"Ah, yes, speaking of that." Weiss brought them to a halt, fishing inside her bolero for something. "Here."

At first, it looked like a piece of paper but, upon further inspection, turned out to be a photograph. The one from the tunnel, actually, and the blonde felt her jaw practically unhinge as she stared at the picture.

Aside from the stupid little boat and the ridiculous amount of hearts all over the place, it was actually one of the greatest things she'd ever seen. Blake looked absolutely stunning, curled up and content on her lap, reaching out to hold Weiss too, eyes half lidded as she smiled. Something about her expression was so... _open_ and unguarded in that moment, a far cry from the quiet little expressions the mysterious Faunus usually favored. The heiress, on the other hand, had her eyes closed but looked completely at ease, relaxing into Yang's body like she belonged there. In fact, she looked particularly vulnerable, like she felt safe for the first time in years, maybe her entire life. Side-by-side, the two were obviously happy in a way she'd rarely seen throughout their time together as teammates, but they also exuded this sense of innocent sensuality, too. For a candid shot, the picture did a remarkable job of capturing perhaps the most important part that would make the whole relationship work: they made each other happy.

"You both look so beautiful." She breathed like a prayer, glancing at both of her girlfriends in turn. Weiss preened a little at the compliment while Blake chuckled.

"You don't look so bad yourself."

Oh, yeah, she was in the picture too, huh? Well, for her part, the blonde looked like her usual self except more... happy. She was more preoccupied with her girlfriends' appearances than her own, really, even if there was an extra shine in her eyes that wasn't usually present in her photos. That's probably because she was looking down at her girlfriends, though, a trick of the light or something.

Maybe they saw something different.

"But... wait, weren't you going to have them delete this?" Yang furrowed her brows, frowning at the heiress. "Weiss-"

"I _did_ have them delete it, but I wanted copies first." She huffed, pointedly looking elsewhere. "I don't think it's too much to ask for a memento of our first official date as a triad. It's a good picture."

It went unsaid how potentially dangerous this was, hanging onto physical proof regardless of the sentimental value. But Weiss thought it was worth the risk to keep it... and that said more about the picture itself than anything else. Carefully tucking the photo away in her jacket, the blonde chuckled, just barely resisting the urge to sneak a kiss while she thought no one was looking. No doubt they were attracting too much attention as it was for her to be taking chances like that.

Instead, she merely squeezed the heiress' shoulder affectionately and made a mental note to kiss her at the next available opportunity. "You're right. Thanks, Weiss."

Settling back into their charade, the trio set off once more to meet with the missing members of their group, each wearing a content little smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would enjoy Neptune and Sun probably ten times better if they were characters first and love interests second within the show proper.


	7. Statistically Probable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What would a RWBY fic be without a bit of action?

Yang bit her lip, glancing at her scroll for the sixth time.

Okay, so, punctuality might not be _her_ strong suit and she might tend towards being impatient sometimes, but this was ridiculous. It was half an hour past when they'd agreed to meet up with the missing duo and neither young woman had shown up. Which was fine, really, because people get distracted, especially her little sister... but it wasn't like Ruby not to answer her scroll messages. The fact that she had worry gnawing at her gut _today_ but not the night before was also a sign that something was wrong.

"Yang, you're just being needlessly overprotective." Blake gently chided, leaning against a light pole and watching the blonde with those amber eyes.

Seated on the bench next to the light pole, Weiss nodded. "We aren't the most aware of our surroundings either, Yang. Ruby's probably just... distracted."

"No, something's wrong." The blonde shook her head. "Ruby _knows_ I'd tease her mercilessly if she was late to meeting up with us. After embarrassing the crap out of her earlier, no way she'd be late."

"Be that as it may-" The heiress abruptly cut off as the telltale sound of a rocket locker whizzing overhead met their ears.

Lilac eyes traced its path, following the slow arc until it impacted somewhere on the other side of the carnival. People were beginning to shout in alarm over the sound of an explosion as she looked back at her girlfriends.

"Nevermind." Weiss sighed, scroll already in hand.

"She's in trouble." Blake nodded, tapping her finger against her own locker recall button.

"Remind me to have a custom shirt made," the heiress said as her locker impacted a few feet away, popping open to reveal Myrtenaster. "It's only fair to have her warning label somewhere _everyone_ can see."

"A cape would be better. More visibility." The Faunus retrieved Gambol Shroud from her own locker, which landed shortly after Weiss'. "I doubt she'd wear it, though."

"You two are being _super calm_ about this." Yang grumbled, flicking her wrists as Ember Celica began clicking and whirring into its expanded form. "We don't even know where she is and we'll have to fight through the stampede of spooked people-"

She nearly jumped at the gentle touch at her elbow, meeting shining amber eyes. "We'll find her."

"And we'll reach her in time." Weiss nodded, flicking Myrtenaster around to summon several glyphs, leading up and above the panicked carnival goers.

Well, that certainly made things a shit ton easier. Without waiting, the blonde jumped up, hopping from glyph to glyph with Blake and Weiss just barely behind her.

Whoever thought picking a fight with her little sister was about to be in a whole new _universe_ of hurt.

* * *

Yang's boots slid slightly as she landed on a slanted roof, a familiar black ribbon wrapping around her bicep to steady her a moment before she lost her balance completely. Although reluctant to let anything slow her down at this point, the blonde spared a glance back at her girlfriends, flashing a grateful smile. In a handful of minutes, they'd crossed the carnival's thoroughfare and landed on the other side, nearest the explosions as Weiss could get without giving away their position. It was draining, suspending the three of them thirty feet in the air on her glyphs, but the heiress looked just as ready as ever for the upcoming fight.

And one heck of a fight it promised to be: Ruby and Penny were standing back-to-back, catching a breather after a series of gunshots and slicing swords knocked back the jumbled mess of White Fang Faunus and black suited men the blonde was all too familiar with already surrounding them. Standing out and hanging back was a man in a white coat and black hat, orange hair combed to the side, and the very sight of him had Blake on edge.

"That's Roman Torchwick, from the docks." She growled, edging closer to the rooftop's edge.

"And Junior's men from the club." She muttered, feeling her Semblance sparking to life again as her fists clenched. Apparently, they didn't get the message the first time they dealt with either sister. "We _need_ to get down there."

"Dropping into a group of enemies doesn't seem like the best option." Weiss offered, by far the most collected of the trio at that moment. "We have the element of surprise; we should capitalize on it."

"And don't let him talk." The Faunus added, scowling. "If he starts talking, he'll be able to escape. Trust me."

"Shut him up and knock him out, got it." Yang nodded, shaking her arms out. "Now, what's the rest of the plan?"

"I have an idea, but it's a bit on the ridiculous side." The heiress sighed, shaking her head. "But relatively simple: grab their attention long enough so we can regroup with Ruby and let _her_ figure a way out of this mess."

"Works for me," she said, cocking one arm back and ready to let the first shot fly. However, before she could follow through, Weiss pulled on her shoulder.

"Now hold on, you dolt. I didn't mean charge in!" She shuffled closer to the roof's edge and peered down. "Blake, lower me down. We'll use the Freezerburn attack, just like we practiced. That should provide Ruby and Penny with the concealment they need."

... Okay, yeah, that was a better idea.

Grabbing onto Gambol Shroud, the heiress swung herself over the side of the roof, allowing Blake to lower her slowly so they didn't attract attention too soon. Out of nerves, Yang put a hand on the Faunus' shoulder, as much to steady her as to remind herself not to jump the gun.

"So, Red, what do ya say?" Roman lightly tapped his cane against the asphalt of the street. "We part ways, let bygones be bygones. No hard feelings?"

"Uh... are you going to leave the dust you _stole_ from that shop?"

"Well, no, see, because I need that."

The young woman settled more firmly into a ready stance, Crescent Rose held aloft. "Then no deal."

Shaking his head, the criminal sighed. "You crazy hero kid types. Fine, then." He paused, looking around at the assembled muscle. "Well? What are you idiots waiting for, an engraved invitation?"

Yang grit her teeth, glancing between the grunts about to make the worst mistake of their life and Weiss, who was moving closer before lifting Myrtenaster and plunging the tip down, covering the entire area in a sheet of ice. Wasting no time, Yang jumped off the roof, her right arm cocked back as the criminals shockingly took in the sudden change. Before any of them had a clue what was happening, her fist impacted the ice, melting it and sending a thick fog erupting from beneath their feet.

The White Fang and suited losers all let out varying gasps of surprise, waving their arms in front of them uselessly. Meanwhile, the blonde turned and ran back towards where she'd jumped off, hoping to find her team waiting.

"Yang!" She tilted her head as she ran, catching sight of her sister landing beside her and sprinting to catch up. "This time, _they_ found _me_! I swear!"

The ginger was two steps behind, a small army of swords floating obediently after her- okay, seriously, what was _with_ this chick!? "It _was_ statistically probable-"

"Penny! Not! Helping!" Ruby called over her shoulder as they cleared the fog, Blake and Weiss darting in front of them.

"It's about time!" The heiress huffed, readying her sword and scanning the dissipating distraction for any signs of movement alongside Blake. "I certainly hope you devised a plan to get us out of this fantastic mess, Ruby Rose, because that was the extent of ours!"

"Uh..." Her sister glanced around, silver eyes darting all over before she nodded resolutely. "Right, I've got something." She flipped Crescent Rose around, racking back the action. "But it's a little crazy!"

"You might want to hurry." Blake bared her teeth in a slight snarl, amber eyes falling on Torchwick. Yeah, she was probably still a little pissed about the docks incident and, at present, Yang had absolutely no problems with that. "They're regrouping."

"Okay! Dash straight through them, hitting as many as you can, but don't slow down until you're on the other side!" She twirled her weapon again, ensuring the barrel was pointing behind her. "Hit and run style, we'll go in waves, got it?"

"Too easy." Yang grinned, ready to crack some skulls. She'd already danced with half these idiots before; doubling that number wasn't going to help them much.

"Ready," Weiss said, flipping Myrtenaster around as she settled into her stance, a glyph already spinning beneath her feet.

Blake stood on the other side of the blonde, Gambol Shroud clicking into pistol form while its sheath was in her other hand. "Who's first?"

"Checkmate!"

In tandem, Yang watched as her girlfriends dashed forward, both aided by the heiress' glyphs. Momentarily, the reality of the situation fell away and she was thrilled to witness the two working so seamlessly with each other, landing blow after blow against the stunned morons Torchwick had hired for muscle and White Fang soldiers alike with every step. About halfway through the throng of enemies, the heiress summoned another set of glyphs to propel them forward again as those unaffected by their attacks rushed past their downed comrades.

The blonde took a step forward, ready to charge in and keep the duo from being surrounded, when Ruby put a hand on her arm.

"Not yet."

She ground her teeth and stilled, lilac eyes trained on the lithe forms of Weiss and Blake. Yang would be near the front of the line to claim her sister as being a tactical genius, sure, but she was definitely a little more on edge than usual, given recent events. Compound that by her anger burning just beneath the boiling point despite having made peace with Neptune and Sun- yeah, she wasn't a fan of this 'stand by' shit.

As her teammates started making their way through the back half of the losers not smart enough to dodge out of the way, Torchwick and everyone else missing their survival instinct started directing their weapons at the duo tearing through their ranks.

Which neither noticed, because they were still focused on the enemies _in front_ of them.

"Ruby." She growled out, bouncing on the balls of her feet. _Like hell_ she was just going to wait there and do nothing; if her leader didn't give the command, she was going to charge forward anyway!

"Okay, yeah, go ahead." The younger woman nodded and Yang wasted absolutely no time springing forward, two shots from Ember Celica propelling her into the throng.

Most of the idiots had barely turned towards her when she descended on the first victims, slamming her fists into their faces in tandem and barely pausing to choose her next target. Now the lot of them had to choose between dealing with her or trying to sneak in an attack on Weiss or Blake, who were still powering through the farther end of the gaggle of morons. Luckily, the blonde wasn't too keen on giving them much of a choice, practically hopping from idiot to idiot, throwing a punch or two to knock them to the ground before moving on, solely focused on reaching her partners' backs. Her semblance, so very ready to explode into action, burned just beneath her skin, growing hotter with every blow their enemies managed to land before collapsing to the ground.

Fine by her; it just meant _someone_ was going to have one hell of a bad day when she let it go.

Behind her, Ruby and Penny were cleaning up whoever she missed, the clang of swords and Crescent Rose's distinctive slicing through the air a telltale sign the younger women were having no trouble at all.

Good; she was a bit preoccupied with the idiots still standing in her way.

Finally, Weiss and Blake broke through the other side, turning around with their weapons up to await the others' arrival.

She wasn't too far off- only a handful of these losers left between them- but was surprised when someone managed to land a rather solid hit with a hammer across her cheek, knocking her off balance. She spun in a circle, trying to find her footing while throwing a punch into the lucky punk who thought he could sneak in another hit. To her surprise, she was steadied by a hand on each shoulder, Blake and Weiss using their unoccupied hands to assist her while discouraging the knuckleheads who tried to take advantage of the shift in their game plan.

"Work back this way!" Ruby called out, coming to a quick halt and darting to the side to remain clear of Yang's line of fire.

Which was good because, thanks to that lucky hit, she had a bit more energy to burn now.

With a growl, her eyes burned red and hair began to glow, her semblance finally allowed to reign as she became a nigh unstoppable flurry of fists.

For every step she took forward, throwing punch after punch, her girlfriends remained at her side, Blake tossing Gambol Shroud around with expert grace while Weiss called forth glyph after glyph to upset their enemies' footing and using Myrtenaster on the especially foolish ones who got close enough. Even though they'd never dedicated training time to working as a three person unit, Yang was highly aware of their every move, making sure her attack patterns allowed her ample opportunity to check on their well-being as they tore apart the last remaining goons.

All it took was a glance and the blonde braced herself, acting as a springboard for both women to launch into the air and deliver a final flurry of lead and light that felled the rest of the idiots. Except one ridiculously lucky little shit whom Yang promptly punched in the face, sending him skittering away as her girlfriends landed.

That just left Torchwick.

Scanning the area, Yang's gaze fell upon the man she was looking for, backpedaling away from an irate and advancing Ruby while Penny followed closely behind, swords looming ominously behind her.

"Look, kids, can't we work something out?" He shrugged his shoulders, lifting his cane ever so slightly. "I'm just trying to make a living-"

"No! Deal!" Her sister twirled her sniper scythe quickly, knocking away the cane a moment before its tip erupted in a fiery blast.

Oh, this dude was _so_ done. Popping the expended shells from Ember Celica, Yang snapped a fresh belt in while stalking closer to the man, two sets of footsteps following close behind. If anything, Blake seemed intent on overtaking her, apparently still holding a grudge from the docks fiasco.

"Shit. Neo!" Torchwick jumped back, just barely out of Ruby's range as a strange- and short, like, _really_ short- woman appeared out of fucking _nowhere_ , brandishing a pink parasol of all things. Assessing the threat, Ruby and Penny stopped their retreat while Yang, Blake, and Weiss sped up their advance. The woman's mismatched eyes glanced at them briefly before turning back to her presumed employer. "No, dear; let's just leave. This run's another bust." He shook his head and sighed. "These damn kids, I swear."

Yeah, right; like they were just going to stand there and let these assholes waltz away. Not wasting another moment, the blonde surged forward, smashing her fist into the woman's face... or what she _thought_ was her face, but ended up being some sort of strange mirror image that shattered upon contact.

"The hell?" She blinked, looking over her shoulder to note Weiss' confused expression and Blake's hostile one, aimed somewhere above them. Redirecting her gaze, the blonde caught sight of an airship bearing her intended targets to safety. "You gotta be kidding me!"

"He got away with it _again_." The Faunus growled out, just as displeased as her partner, though Weiss was quick to soothe them both.

"Come now, he didn't actually escape with anything." The heiress gestured around them. "All the crates are still here."

"But _he_ isn't." Blake grumbled, reluctantly sheathing Gambol Shroud and setting it on her back.

Yang flicked her wrists to stow away her weapons, exhaling heavily through her nose and closing her eyes. She was still a little ticked at this dude for, one, attacking her little sister _again_ and, two, disrupting their dates. Granted, it hadn't exactly been smooth sailing since the onset but, really, couldn't they catch a break?

Regardless, at this point, this dude was _definitely_ their problem; this was the third time running into him, even if it was the first as a complete team. Hopefully, a beating _this_ bad would discourage any further meetings.

Well, ones he initiated, anyway.

"We'll find him." The blonde nodded resolutely, favoring her girlfriends with a slightly forced grin. "A guy like that _has_ to be pretty well known in some circle or other. Next weekend, we can track down some leads and, eventually, him."

That promise didn't sit well with the Faunus, however. " _Next_ week? Look around!" She gestured at the various unconscious forms of Faunus wearing the distinctive White Fang uniforms. "Torchwick is using the White Fang for something! We can't just wait around-"

"Neither can we afford to go charging in without a proper plan." Weiss smoothly cut in, gently putting a hand on her girlfriend's arm. "Whoever that ruffian is, we've just taken from him his spoils for the night _and_ his forces. He'll need time to recoup."

"Meanwhile, we can do some digging and figure out how to get the drop on him." Yang continued, willing the Faunus to listen and believe them. "It's for the best, Blakey."

The Faunus sighed, shaking her head while her shoulders sagged somewhat in defeat. "I had the drop on him at the docks... we had it _now-_ "

"Yeah, but this time, you'll have us there with you and it'll be on _our_ terms." The blonde gently cupped Blake's cheek, tilting her head enough so she could see those blazing amber eyes. Meanwhile, the heiress leaned into Blake's side, silently offering her support. "Weiss and I won't let him get away again. Promise."

"Hey, don't forget about us!" Ruby laughed, nudging Penny with her shoulder. "We'll be there, too!"

The ginger's lack of response caught Yang's attention, lilac eyes breaking away from her girlfriends to note how very anxious Penny appeared, her swords gone- to _where_ , she had no idea- and her hands clenched into tight fists and huddled close to her chest. Slowly, Penny shook her head, taking a single step back.

"I... should probably go."

"What?" Ruby's brows furrowed. "Penny, what's wrong?"

The ginger shook her head again. "You'll be upset. I should just go."

"No, you don't have to go! Are you hurt?" Yang watched as her sister reached forward, gently pulling on the ginger's wrists. Penny didn't resist, though fear was shining clear as day in those green eyes as her hands uncurled. "Uh..."

The blonde subtly glanced at her girlfriends, waiting for their reaction. All she saw was a couple scrapes that were grey, as if the concrete had rubbed off on her palms during the fight. It was possible but it shouldn't hurt _too_ bad, so, really... what were they looking at, exactly?

"I'm... not a real girl." The ginger hung her head. "I'm sorry, I wasn't supposed to tell anyone."

Okay... now she was confused. Again, she glanced at Weiss and Blake, trying to understand exactly what was going on; while the Faunus seemed equally confused, the heiress seemed to at least have an idea, hand drifting up to cover her mouth in shock.

Seriously, what was going on here?

Without a word, Ruby rubbed her thumbs along the scraps while Penny waited for their reaction, gaze averted and shoulder slumped like she was expecting the worse.

Finally, her sister spoke. "So, you're a little different. That's okay! We all are!" The young woman smiled, still holding onto the other's hands. "That's what makes us special, Penny."

"Ruby... I don't think you understand." Marshaling her courage, the ginger raised her gaze, green eyes meeting silver. "I'm not a real girl; I was made, not born."

...wait...

"I understood _exactly_ what you meant. I just don't care!" Ruby giggled, making sure to keep eye contact to emphasize her sincerity. "It doesn't matter if you have squishy guts like mine or gears and nuts and bolts. You're real to me, Penny."

Slowly, those green eyes were beginning to shine once again, a small grin forming on the ginger's lips.

"To all of us," the blonde said as everything suddenly clicked. Finally, all the weird things about Penny made sense- the strange behavior, the lack of social skills, _how hard she friggin' hit_ \- and Yang couldn't be happier having all of it cleared up so neatly. Penny was a robot. So what? Taking a step forward, she raised a fist, beaming down at her sister and the ginger. "Doesn't matter to me if you're a robot; that's the second time you've helped Rubes out of trouble, Penny. As far as I'm concerned, you're still my sister's kickass lady love!"

Instantly, her sister groaned, smacking her arm. "Yang!"

Of course, Penny was more concerned about her terminology. "Actually, I'm not a robot. I'm the first synthetic being capable of generating an aura and robots don't have aura."

"Well, logically, if you possess an aura, you posses a soul." Weiss stated matter-of-factly, stepping to one side of Yang with her arms crossed. "So _of course_ you're a real girl, Penny."

"And don't worry." Blake offered from the blonde's other side with a comforting smile. "We'll keep your secret." Minutely, she wiggled her bow. "We're becoming rather practiced at it."

It took a moment for all that information to sink in before the ginger reclaimed her former enthusiasm, looking back to Ruby. "Then... we're still..."

"Friends? Of course! We're all still friends!" There was a brief pause in which Yang looked at her sister pointedly, waiting for her to continue and nearly clearing her throat to prompt the younger woman. Luckily, she didn't have to go that far. "And you and I are, well... we're better than friends, right?"

Quickly, the ginger pulled Ruby into a tight hug, smile so wide it was practically splitting her face. "Yes! Yes we are, Ruby Rose!"

The blonde fought the urge to fondly chuckle at the scene, allowing the fist she'd left up drop. Before it returned to her side, however, Penny finally returned the fist bump, obviously more concerned with the little ball of sunshine in her arms than anything else.

A brief glance over her shoulders effectively reminded Yang _exactly_ what that felt like, so she couldn't really hold it against the girl... robot... wait, was the proper term android?

... Nah. Penny was just as real as the rest of them.

"Well, you think you two can stay out of trouble for the rest of the night?" Yang set her hands on her hips, raising a brow at her sister's curious expression. "We... had a bit of a run in with Sun and Neptune, just before all this kicked off."

Ruby grimaced, though she made absolutely no effort to extricate herself from Penny's arms. "Yikes. How did that go?"

"As well as one might expect with those two dolts." Weiss sighed, shifting her weight from one foot to the other so she could hip check the blonde. "Add in an oaf who nearly threw the first punch and it was a touch tense."

"But resolved." Blake gently added, laying a hand on Yang's arm. "They understand our relationship, now."

"Not that it was easy for them to comprehend at first!" The heiress huffed, smoothing out her expression quickly. "But at any rate- the whole ordeal was rather exhausting, so we're going to turn in for the night."

Ruby raised a brow. "When you say 'turn in' do you mean, like, my sister's going to 'turn in' to a lamprey?"

 _Again_ with the fish comparison!

"We promise not to get too carried away," the Faunus replied, preventing any comment from Yang. "However, it might be... best if you knock before entering. Loudly."

"Thanks for the warning," their team leader replied, a grin on her lips. "Penny, do you want to go back to the carnival?"

"Actually, I thought we could just sit and talk at a park nearby?" The ginger frowned. "My body is far heavier than what the safety standards allow for on those rides. I'm surprised none of them sustained significant damage." Sensing the distress suddenly taking hold of her girlfriend, the blonde quickly wrapped an arm around Weiss' shoulders to steady her. "However... first I'd like to ask a question."

"Oh... kay?" Ruby shrugged. "Shoot."

"Although I think my estimations are correct, statistically speaking we're at one hundred percent for our interactions being interrupted by outside forces." Penny smiled, taking one of the young woman's hands in hers. "It would take close observation to provide a more accurate representation, though. Would it be alright if I collected more data?"

Silver eyes blinked a few times before the words processed. "Penny... are you asking me out on more dates?"

"Yes." She nodded earnestly. "But I'm also asking if I, um, _can_ be your girlfriend. It would make collecting said data much easier."

"Uh, sure! Of course!" Ruby laughed. "We can be girlfriends!"

Yang smiled, seeing another prime opportunity open up and immediately opened her mouth to capitalize on it. Before she could say anything, however, her sister shot her a look that quite clearly said 'if you ruin this for me, I will make everything horrible forever', so she left well enough alone.

"You two be careful." She opted for instead, lifting a hand in farewell. "Call us if anything comes up, okay?"

With that, they parted ways- Ruby and Penny heading to a nice, quiet park while the trio set their sights on going back to Beacon. If their pace quickened the moment they were out of sight from the newly minted couple, no one made any mention of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not going to lie; this chapter exists solely on the chance I ever revisit this particular universe later on. I was originally going to rewrite this but, since it served its purpose well enough (and it's short enough to be ignored), I said fuck it. Now, with the brief action foray done, the next chapter will be foreplay and smut. You have been warned. Also, fun fact, I cannot pronounce the first word of this chapter's title, but I like the way it sounds.


	8. One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Foreplay ahead.

Entering their room back at Beacon was a blessed relief. The moment the door closed behind them, Blake reached up to remove her bow, Weiss slid off her bolero, and Yang just couldn't fucking take it any longer and threw an arm around their waists, cuddling them like she'd been dying to do all day. This, of course, caused the Faunus to chuckle softly while the heiress opted for weakly sputtering in surprise, the blonde lifting both of them off their feet in her giddiness.

"You oaf! Since when did you decide it would be alright to _manhandle_ us like this?" Weiss grumbled, a blush rising in her pale cheeks.

"Probably last night," Blake said, smirking as she lightly ran a hand through blonde locks. "She's waiting for us to commend her on her restraint."

"That _is_ how you encourage good behavior." Yang murmured, stealing a kiss from her girlfriends. "A little reward isn't too much to ask, right?"

"And what type of reward are you seeking, exactly?" The heiress huffed lightly, a quiet thanks accompanying her feet touching ground again.

Truthfully, the blonde had _far_ too much time to think about what they could do once returning to the room. A lot of those thoughts... were just her getting a bit ahead of herself, though, so she went with her first choice, nevermind that it was also the safer bet.

"Cuddling, maybe a little making out." She shrugged slightly while drumming her fingers against her girlfriends' hips. "I think that's a good place to start."

A single white eyebrow arched. "Start?"

"Well, it _is_ the first date," she replied, a cheeky grin on her lips.

"Right." Blake shook her head, carefully extricating herself from her girlfriend's embrace. "On that note, however, I'm going to check the window. Just to be safe."

Yang had half a mind to complain- seriously, if they developed any issues with certain numbskulls not being smart enough to keep their eyes to themselves, she was going to handle things _her_ way- but withheld the words as Weiss cut her off.

"We should rearrange while she's doing that." Blue eyes scanned the room briefly. "Blake, can we use your mattress?"

"Well, that escalated quickly. I thought _I_ was supposed to be the one jumping the gun?" She lightly teased, earning an elbow to her side for the comment.

"Don't be crude; a single bed won't fit the three of us comfortably and I'm not lying on the floor." The heiress quickly pre-empted the next response poised on her tongue. "Lying on _you_ is about to not be an option at all, so choose your next words carefully, Yang Xiao Long."

Raising a brow, lilac eyes darted towards her other girlfriend briefly. Was it just her or did Weiss seem a bit... nervous? Maybe on edge was a better description. She was fidgeting a little, probably working herself up over something silly. Seeing as their girlfriend was leaning halfway through a window at present, the blonde took it upon herself to step up behind the shorter woman, wrapping her arms loosely around Weiss' waist and resting her chin atop silky white hair, barely missing that damned tiara- it was only a matter of time before she accidentally impaled herself on the thing, honestly.

"Okay. Where should I put them?" Whatever tension had gathered in those thin shoulders was slowly slipping away as the heiress leaned back into her embrace.

"The middle of the room should do. Side-by-side. Mine and Blake's, if she approves."

"I do." The Faunus glanced over her shoulder. "It's far easier than wrangling yours down."

"Right." She pressed a kiss behind Weiss' ear. "Gimme a sec."

With one last reassuring squeeze, Yang stepped away to make the necessary arrangements, hefting the mattresses with ease and setting them on the floor. Weiss removed the pillows and set them on her bunk, giving them the maximum amount of space to work with while Blake secured the window and curtain. Once the scene was set, the blonde kicked off her boots and removed her jacket, stowing them away properly so she wouldn't incur a lecture from Weiss. If she played her cards right, they probably had a solid two hours of sister-free cuddling ahead of them; like hell she was going to waste time getting in trouble over something trivial.

Fairly certain she was in the clear, the blonde plopped down in the middle of the makeshift bed, shifting slightly so the separating between the two mattresses didn't threaten to suck her in completely. It might be a bit unfair to take the middle spot but... yeah, she was going to be a little selfish, at least for the moment. After putting up with Neptune's and Sun's antics virtually all day, it wasn't entirely unreasonable that she'd want to feel a bit desired, too, right?

... okay, she probably _should_ move over; it wasn't her turn to take the middle spot, as far as she remembered.

"Is something the matter, Yang?" She blinked, turning her head to meet concerned amber orbs as the Faunus settled down beside her with feline grace, ears perked attentively.

"You seem... distracted." Weiss was on her other side a moment later, tiara gone as her hair flowed unbound over her shoulders, like a curtain of moonlight.

Glancing between them, she couldn't help but smile wide. Well, if _they_ weren't objecting, it was probably alright. "Just reminding myself not to 'jump the gun' or anything."

She coaxed them closer, wrapping her arms around their waists- it was quickly becoming her favorite position, holding both of her girlfriends like this- and letting out a content sigh when they allowed their heads to rest on her chest. Well, Blake's was on her chest; Weiss seemed more intent on using her breast.

Which she totally didn't have a problem with, by the way.

Yang took a deep breath, biting her lip as the heiress gasped out in shock and their girlfriend chuckled, the two reaching out for each other across her stomach. It was so small, just lying together quietly, but the serenity of the moment was something the blonde never realized she craved until now. She liked movement, she liked action, but this? This was way better, making her heart damn near flutter as both of her girlfriends nuzzled deeper into the embrace. A few minutes passed in silence, all three of them just soaking up the moment, and then Weiss shifted. Curious, the blonde lifted her head, raising a brow as she noted her girlfriend's gaze, blue orbs darting between Yang and Blake. Glancing at the Faunus, who had also moved to take note of the development, it wasn't hard to figure out what was going on; as nice as the quiet was, they all still had some energy to spare.

Licking her lips, Yang decided to help things along, using her arms to bring her girlfriends closer together. That little bit of nonverbal approval was all they needed, closing the distance to hungrily meeting in a clash of lips and tongue. The blonde just watched, once again enthralled at the sight of her two girlfriends losing themselves, deepening the kiss as they briefly fought for dominance. Blake won, almost too easily, rolling Weiss onto her back. Conveniently, that didn't move the duo off the blonde, somehow managing to bring the heiress' back to press against her front. With one arm wrapped around Weiss, finger lightly teasing the bow at the front of her skirt, Yang used her other to reach out for Blake, stroking the Faunus' arm.

So engrossed in watching her girlfriends make out, it belatedly dawned on the blonde exactly which position they'd landed in, a devious smile claiming her lips as she simply couldn't help herself. Sliding her hands down, relying on touch alone, she hooked her hands under each of Weiss' thighs and gently pulled them up and apart. The motion brought not only a startled gasp from the heiress but had Blake stopping to look, moving her own legs from the tangle so they could fit together as neatly as Yang had imagined earlier in the day.

There came a brief moment where they were all still, her girlfriends panting as they looked at each other. Blake had Weiss' legs wrapped around her hips, one hand on Yang's shoulder while the other cupped the heiress' face, forcing their gazes to meet.

"Weiss... is this okay?" Amber eyes flicked between both women pinned beneath her. "How far do you want this to go?"

"What... what are my options?" The heiress whined, briefly writhing in place. "How can you expect me to think straight _now_ of all times?"

Well, fair point; they probably should've talked about this before laying down.

Too late for that.

"Sh, it's okay, Princess," she soothingly said, setting the words against Weiss' ear. As reassuring as it might've been, it also sent a shiver through the woman's body, though Yang was willing to bet it wasn't an unpleasant one in the slightest. "We can stop."

"I don't _want_ to stop!" The heiress moved again, except this time, she was quite obviously grinding her hips back into Yang's- which had _her_ groaning- and pushing her chest into Blake. "I don't know what I _want_ but stopping _isn't it_."

The blonde took a deep breath, trying to center herself and push all her own wants and desires aside for the moment. She didn't want to rush this- it was only the first date, holy shit- but it didn't look like any of them were particularly keen on being 'proper' or anything like that. At the same time, she wanted to be fair to both of her girlfriends, satisfying their needs without sacrificing anything. Catching Blake's gaze, she took another steadying breath.

"You get first touch, I get first taste. Deal?"

The Faunus' ears perked, turning the proposal over in her head a few times before nodding. "That's fair."

"Wha- wait, what does that mean?" Rather than sounding frustratingly turned on, Weiss was sliding towards vaguely panicked. "I-I-I-I don't-"

"Sh, Princess, relax. It's okay." Yang soothed, pressing a soft kiss behind her ear while running her hands along the heiress' thighs. "We're not doing everything tonight. If you don't want to do anything at all, that's fine. We're just making sure it's fair if we _do_ get a little carried away." She flicked her eyes over to Blake, signalling her to provide an example.

The Faunus was all too happy to do so. "If you want me to, I can touch you. Here." One hand slipped down, cupping Weiss through the material of her skirt, prompting a delicious moan to fall from the woman's lips. "But we don't have to; we can just kiss. It's your choice, Princess."

Weiss nodded slowly, seemingly gathering her wits and courage. "K-kiss me. For now."

Blake nodded, leaning down to reconnect their lips, allowing her weight to settle on the smaller woman. It felt a little strange from Yang's perspective, having two people on top of her, but it was the best kind of strange. It was new and exciting and she hadn't realized how badly she'd wanted it before, allowing her hands to wander over both of her girlfriends, trying to act as a counterpoint. While Weiss clutched at the Faunus' upper back, the blonde's hand strayed lower; as Blake stroked the heiress' thigh, she aimed higher.

The kiss itself was quickly growing heated and utterly out of control, the two breaking apart to gulp down a few lungfuls of oxygen before diving back in, tongues intertwining, occasionally nipping at each other's lips. Just _hearing_ their ragged breathing and the choked back little moans and whines each of her girlfriends were suppressing or swallowing back was driving the blonde mad, though she tried valiantly to bear it well. After all, despite the fact they were literally making out _on top of her_ , neither of her girlfriends were exactly doing anything to her, aside from Blake's hand on her shoulder and being able to feel Weiss' every move.

This wasn't a bad thing, not really- it was just making it _so hard_ not to jump in on the fun.

Well, maybe she could just... keep herself busy. Craning her neck slightly, Yang's tongue darted out to trace the shell of Weiss' ear, shocking the heiress into breaking her kiss with Blake. Rather than be upset, the Faunus took the opportunity to dip low, focusing on the left side of Weiss' neck while the blonde took the right, much like how the two had done to Yang earlier. Except, the blonde was a bit more liberal with her teeth, dragging them across pale skin, hard enough to coax a lovely shade of pink to the surface without leaving any lasting marks. It was a delicate balance but Weiss certainly seemed to appreciate it, one hand moving to tangle in golden locks.

That was _dangerous_. So distracted by the attention being lavished upon her, Weiss didn't have the presence of mind to be as careful as she should've been and Yang's eyes briefly flashed red, a warning growl vibrating through her chest. However, somehow the heiress interpreted that as license to _tug_ , sparking an instant desire to retaliate in the blonde. By dust, she wasn't sure how, but Yang managed to at least not bite down into the creamy flesh in her mouth. Instead, her hand roughly slid across Weiss' chest, cupping one breast through her shirt and squeezing. Hard.

Weiss keened, rolling her hips and pressing her chest further into the rough touch. _That_ reaction garnered Blake's attention and, quickly seeing the potential problem, the Faunus summoned a remarkable amount of restraint to untangle Weiss' hand, pinning both wrists to the mattress. Rather than calm down any, the heiress let out a deep moan, weakly struggling against both of her girlfriends. Although not exactly _trying_ to be forceful, the blonde tightly gripped Weiss' hip and chest, restricting her movements as much as possible. Again, this didn't seem to encourage her girlfriend to _stop_ , which meant they were going to have to take more direct measures.

"Weiss!" Blake hissed, ears laying flat against her skull. " _Weiss_ , what are you doing?"

"Huh?" The heiress murmured, blinking owlishly up at one girlfriend while the other remained silent.

She wasn't _mad_ per say... but she had made a point to warn them about it! Granted, it was heat of the moment, so she shouldn't hold it against Weiss... for too long, anyway.

"Weiss, what did we agree _not_ to do to Yang's hair?" The Faunus raised a brow, patiently waiting for the woman's brain to catch up to her actions.

When she did, the blonde could _feel_ the realization sink in, how Weiss instantly stilled and then tried to curl in on herself. "Oh my- Yang, I'm _so_ sorry, I don't know what I was thinking!" She turned her head, trying to catch Yang's gaze with those shining blue eyes, the hint of tears making them especially bright. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that- please, Yang-"

"Hey," she said, her voice a little more hoarse than she thought it would be, a product of heavy breathing and her now dissipating anger. "It's alright." She loosened her hold on the heiress, releasing a deep sigh to ease the tension in her body. "And I'm sorry, too. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"N-no." Her pale skin was already flushed from their activities- which was beautiful, and she might never get used to how good that looked- and the blush instantly darkened, her eyes falling shut as she continued her admission. "I... rather liked it."

"Okay." That was about as much as she could give at present, still a tad bit peeved about the whole hair pulling thing. However, she really needed to shove that aside for now; Weiss hadn't done it intentionally. It wasn't spiteful. Tilting her head, she coaxed the other woman into a soft kiss. Weiss made it emphatically clear she was still beating herself up over the incident, yielding to Yang while still displaying that sweet vulnerability that had always captivated her. When they broke apart- because the angle was awkward as hell, seriously- the blonde smiled. "Do you want to stop?"

"We... _I_ probably should." The heiress sighed. "I obviously can't be trusted to control myself while in this position."

"Aw, come on, Princess." She chuckled, moving both hands to Weiss' thighs, softly tracing along the smooth skin. Truthfully, while the incident did put a damper on her libido, there was really little that was going to stop her from enjoying this whole arrangement. It might take her a bit to get back into it but she _wanted_ to go back to making out. "Don't let a little faux pas get you down. I'm not holding it against you. Now, holding _you_ against _me_ , that's a different story."

Slowly, Weiss turned her head to blink at the blonde. "You just used the term 'faux pas' correctly in a sentence. I'm so impressed, I can't even be upset about the lame joke."

"You really don't have any room to be upset about jokes at all." Blake calmly pointed out, leaning in to brush a kiss against the heiress' temple. "In fact, I think Yang gets at least two days of complaint free puns. Agreed?" If there was an objection building within the smaller woman, it was never voiced. Instead, Weiss merely nodded. "Good. Now, let's get back to the matter at hand. Do you _want_ to continue?"

" _Of course_ I do!" The heiress growled out, though her frustration was more likely directed at herself, blue eyes darting to her pinned arms. "I just... um..." The blush staining her cheeks brightened again, reaching all the way to the tips of her ears as she forced the word out. "Sex."

Blake raised a brow, clearly surprised by the response. "... sex?"

"You might have to be a bit more specific, Princess." Yang took a deep breath, trying to hide the fact that her heart rate jumped through the roof at that little word. She might still be a bit sore over the hair thing but, damnit, that was taking a backseat effective immediately. If it still bugged her tomorrow, she'd worry about it then; no way in hell was she passing up _this_ opportunity. "Otherwise, we'll get _ideas_."

"Yang." The Faunus warned, scrunching her nose up briefly before refocusing on their girlfriend. "She is right, though. Neither of us want you to be uncomfortable."

"You're going to make me say it, aren't you?"

"We just want to be sure."

Yang waited, still lightly running her hands over the smooth skin of Weiss' thighs. Even if they wouldn't go as far as oral tonight, she was still _very_ excited at the prospect of watching Blake pleasure Weiss. The way her pale skin promised to light up as the Faunus' deft touch drove her wild- just imagining it was making the blonde even more eager for it to happen, almost as much as potentially getting to drive Blake wild herself.

"I..." Weiss swallowed harshly, her voice so breathy it was barely a whisper. "I want you to touch me, Blake." She took a steadying breath. "But, um..." Her arms flexed, blue eyes pleading for the Faunus to understand what she was failing to articulate.

Somehow, Blake _did_ understand, shifting her hold on the heiress' wrists so she could pin both down with only one hand. "How's that?" Weiss struggled briefly before nodding, apparently thankful for the change. "There. No more accidents. Now, one last question."

Weiss and Yang groaned in tandem- the heiress likely because she wasn't a fan of being put on the spot quite like this. The blonde, on the other hand, was getting a little tired of waiting, though she bit her tongue and reached deep into her well of patience, allowing Blake to keep going with whatever she was doing.

"We can do it just like this... but I'd rather have a bit more room to work." Her recently freed hand drifted down, lightly tracing down Weiss' chest to press against the woman's core through her combat skirt. "If you want clothes to stay on, that's fine... but I'd rather they not."

The blonde drew in a quick breath, licking her lips subconsciously. Okay, yeah, being patient was _definitely_ the way to go.

Weiss, on the other hand, was far more tentative. "Am I going to be the only one naked?"

The Faunus chuckled, releasing her hold on Weiss' wrists to pop open the button on her vest. "Where's the fun in that?"

Yang could feel the steadying breath the heiress took as their girlfriend slid the black vest from her shoulders, tossing it somewhere beyond their view. Neither was too concerned about where it landed, watching with rapt fascination as she pulled away the black scarf from around her neck, sending it into the abyss along with her white undershirt. Now the Faunus was clad in nothing but her white bra from the waist up and the blonde couldn't very well just sit there and do nothing any longer.

Moving her hands to Weiss' waist, she skimmed her lips behind the heiress' ear and whispered huskily. "Likin' the view, Princess?"

The whimpering reply was so soft, she might've missed it. "Yes."

"Me too." Lilac eyes met amber, pleading for a bit of _something_ while her fingers lightly worked Weiss' shirt up to expose smooth, supple skin.

Thankfully, Blake was in a playful mood, running her hands across her abdomen and up to cup her breasts. Two groans erupted from her girlfriends, the tones complimenting as they mingled in the air, a delightful sound the Faunus strained her ears to drink up in its entirety. Spurned on by their reactions, Blake lifted and squeezed her breasts, letting out a breathy little gasp of her own before tracing the fabric around to her back and unhooking the clasp. However, rather than letting the garment fall away, Blake held it in place while pulling the straps from her shoulders.

"Hmmm, should I take this off?" She smiled as both of her girlfriends nodded enthusiastically, leaning over the duo to tease them further. "What do we say?"

" _Please_." They whimpered in tandem, Weiss reaching out to assist their girlfriend only to have her hands batted away.

Any protest quickly died as the Faunus relented, pulling the fabric away and lowering her chest to make things a little easier for her eager girlfriends. This time, the heiress was permitted to touch, tracing a tentative path along Blake's right breast. Yang wasted no time in shifting her right hand from playing along Weiss' side to gently guide Blake closer, straining her neck to flick her tongue across the Faunus' nipple. It was a bit difficult- once again, she praised the heiress' small stature for making this slightly easier than it would otherwise be- but she managed to suck the proffered skin into her mouth, swirling her tongue around the areola.

Blake was wonderfully vocal in her appreciation for the attention, a soft purr pouring from her throat and ramping up in intensity as Weiss did her best to copy Yang's lead. In no time at all, the Faunus was rolling her hips, arms shakily supporting herself as she fought valiantly to gently pull away against her girlfriends' wishes. Not that any of them were less eager for things to progress, of course, but neither were they particularly wanting to rush ahead. Blake had wonderful breasts; it was only right to ensure they received the proper loving attention.

Eventually, she was able to pull away though, partially because Yang's other arm still on Weiss' waist prevented the heiress from chasing after her like she wanted. With a flush rising in her cheeks and chest, Blake shuffled back, one hand on each of the zippers of her shorts, toying with her girlfriends a moment before sliding them down and discarding the garment in short order. That just left her in tights and, presumably, her underwear, and Yang was _very_ tempted to offer her assistance for removing both of them. Blake had something else in mind though, rolling off her girlfriends so she was laying beside Yang on the mattress. A little shuffling- that looked _way_ too coordinated, that was amazing and unfair but mostly amazing- had her perpendicular to the duo, only her legs in reach.

It took a moment for Yang to put the pieces together. _Oh_ she was evil. _Evil_.

Just as the blonde expected, Blake hooked her fingers into the waistband of her leggings, dragging them over her hips along with her panties, revealing inch by torturous inch the skin of her generous rear, right up until they were at the tops of her thighs. Then, she lifted her legs into the air, leaving her core exposed as she worked the leggings the rest of the way off. Damnit, that was _sexy as hell_ and Yang was certain she'd get slapped if she tried moving towards the Faunus at the moment.

_Note to self: Blake can kill with temptation alone._

"What... did we get ourselves into?" Weiss' voice was soft and throaty, her eyes transfixed on their girlfriend as Blake tossed her last remaining clothing off into the ether.

"Nothing we won't thoroughly enjoy," the blonde replied, parroting their girlfriend's words from the night before and ducking her head to press a quick kiss against the heiress' temple while keeping her own gaze trained on the other. "But now it's your turn."

"M-m-my?" Weiss locked up, panic clear in her tone. "I- I can't- _that_ , I don't know how- I-"

Blake stalked over on her hands and knees, looking like a predator despite the soft tone of her voice as she shushed the sputtering heiress. "Don't worry about that. We'll help you."

"Yeah, we'll unwrap you like a present." Yang murmured, hands gently untucking Weiss' shirt the rest of the way. "Best one I've gotten in a long time."

Although it appeared she was going to initially object, Weiss clamped her mouth shut as Blake returned, sliding between the heiress' legs and nodding. With their girlfriend in prime position, the blonde moved her hands to Weiss' back and lightly lifted her up enough for the Faunus to work the white shirt up and over her head. From there, it was all too easy for her to slide her hands up to the strapless bra's clasp, unhooking it and following the material around, separating it from Weiss' sides. Blake took over from there, pulling the garment away, while Yang moved back around to her shoulder blades, up over her shoulders, and down, taking the heiress' breasts into her hands. Usually, she would've just stayed where she was but, given who she was dealing with, better to keep those arms pressed against Weiss' sides than allow her free range of motion.

"How're we doing, Princess?" She lightly mouthed at Weiss' neck, catching every choked back gasp but wanting something more... substantial. "Are you good?"

"Better than good." Weiss growled out, arching her back to push her breasts further into the blonde's hands. " _Please_ , keep going."

"I think we should take a brief... intermission." Blake offered, having chucked Weiss' bra and shirt off somewhere. Before an objection could be made, the Faunus dipped her head, nosing aside Yang's hand so she could properly lavish attention on the heiress' left breast.

The instant gasp that elicited prompted Yang to focus on the other breast, relying on touch alone as she flicked her tongue against the soft, pale skin of Weiss' neck and shoulder. The two worked in tandem to slowly drive the heiress insane, focusing only on her chest. Blake settled her weight firmly on Weiss, pinning the woman's hips to Yang's and denying her the chance to seek friction herself, while licking, sucking, and even nipping at the sensitive flesh of her breast. Yang felt the mattress shift, just enough to bring her attention away from the wonderfully flushed skin she'd been lavishing attention upon to notice the Faunus was kissing her way across Weiss' chest. Rather than allow the woman any measure of reprieve, she shifted her attentions to the other side- having to fight a bit through a sea of white hair in the process- but eventually positioning herself on the heiress' opposite shoulder. As she lightly groped the abandoned flesh, she could feel Blake's cool saliva on the skin and groaned in her girlfriend's ear.

Of course, Weiss was far too gone to really notice the effect she was having on her girlfriends. That musical voice was producing all sorts of sounds- breathy little gasps, tight groans, protracted moans- and her eyes were closed, mostly immobilized to the point she was unable to do more than simply accept the attention.

Yang had no complaints. Even if her clothes were uncomfortable as hell at present, she was enjoying herself far too much to be concerned about it, working to induce the same level of bright red flush in the newly discovered skin before her. That, and play with the hardened nipple Blake had left behind, tweaking it firmly to garner another moan from the heiress. She hadn't expected the smaller woman to enjoy such rough treatment but, damnit, she was going to oblige the hell out of that unspoken desire.

The shifting mattress brought her attention again to Blake, who was in a much better position to gauge just how far they'd pushed their girlfriend, amber eyes flicking over both women pinned beneath her. When they met lilac, her lips pulled into a small grin and the blonde got the message, dialing back her ministrations even as she cupped the breast her girlfriend had just abandoned. Leaning in, Blake coaxed Weiss into a kiss that started out incredibly heated on the heiress' part, to no one's surprise. The Faunus, however, quickly took control of it, forcing their girlfriend to rein herself in even as Yang continued toying with her sensitive nipples. Light, teasing touches to keep her simmering just below the boiling point as Blake worked to calm her down.

When they separated, Weiss keened.

The Faunus smirked, proud of how thoroughly they'd worked their girlfriend up but still absolutely sincere with her next words. "Should we stop here?"

" _NO_." The heiress cried out instantly, blue eyes flashing between both of them. " _Please_ , no."

Yang chuckled, pressing several reassuring but chaste kisses to the heiress' neck as Blake shuffled back. With only a little prompting, the blonde effortlessly lifted Weiss' waist up, allowing the Faunus to slide the combat skirt and underwear off, tossing them both elsewhere before resuming their positions.

The blonde tried craning her neck up to get another taste of Blake's breast, swaying just out of her reach, but her head was pushed back by the Faunus, a hint of amusement in her expression.

"Weiss, wrap your arms around me and hang on." It took a moment for the order to register in the heiress' mind but she complied, squeaking in surprise as she was lifted off Yang and settled into Blake's lap. They both groaned as their bare, sweat slicked skin rubbed against each other, but the Faunus was on a mission and quickly leveled a serious look Yang's way. "Your turn, Yang."

Like she needed to be told twice.

She was already lifting her shirt up when Weiss' voice made her stop, concerned that maybe they'd teased her _too_ much and she'd changed her mind.

That... definitely _wasn't_ the case.

"Wait." Blue eyes bounced between her girlfriends before landing on Blake, expression pinching into one of pleading. "Can I undress her?"

The Faunus raised a brow, ears twitching atop her head. "Just you?"

"Well, you're more than welcomed to join in," Weiss said, shifting her attention to Yang. "I just... I should do most of the work."

Yang cocked her head to the side. "Wait, _should_? Princess, you shouldn't feel obligated-"

"Stop right there." Uh oh, that was her dead serious tone. "Yes, I _should_ feel obligated." Carefully, the heiress extricated herself from Blake's arms, turning around so she could lean over Yang, snow white hair cascading over her shoulders. The intensity of her eyes had the blonde pressing back into the mattress and gulping, absolutely certain she was about to be devoured but unsure if it would be in the way she wanted. "If I recall correctly, all three of us agreed to be _equal_ partners in this relationship and I..." Her expression softened considerably, one hand lifting to lightly cup Yang's cheek. "I hurt you, Yang." She leaned forward more, placing a feather soft kiss against the blonde's lips. "I _should_ make it up to you."

The words were set against her lips, barely any space between them. For all of two seconds, she considered disagreeing, intent on putting the incident behind them, but Weiss was the type to agonize over her mistakes. It would be better to let the heiress work out her guilt in a constructive- and down right sexy- way than allowing it to fester. "Well... if you insist."

"I do."

She was about to nod her assent when another thought occurred to her. "And I still get two days of groan free puns, right?"

Weiss huffed out a breath, rolling her eyes while Blake chuckled in the background. "Yes, yes, that, too."

"Oh, okay." Yang smiled, relaxing back into the mattress. "Then go ahead."

The heiress' expression smoothed out just before she leaned in for another kiss, this one lasting a bit longer than previously.

"Come to think of it, Yang should be getting some extra attention from _both_ of us." They broke apart as Blake crawled up beside the blonde, laying down and propping her head up in her left hand. "She had more patience with Neptune and Sun than we did. Our girlfriend has been _remarkably_ understanding all day long."

"You're absolutely right." Weiss nodded, shifting off to Yang's left. "Surely we can make it up to her."

"Definitely."

Something about the smirk on Blake's lips and how Weiss was eerily mirroring the expression should've sent the blonde in the exact opposite direction it _did_ send her; namely, she should've been very, very alarmed. Instead, she was eagerly awaiting whatever (pleasant) torture she was bound to endure.

They took their time, of course, the Faunus holding back and allowing Weiss to be the first to move. It was obvious that the heiress wasn't exactly sure of what she was doing, acting on only the vaguest ideas she'd gotten from... well, where, Yang had no clue, but she was totally cool with it, especially as they started to get into it.

Weiss had shuffled down a little, putting her head even with the blonde's midriff, and started kissing the exposed skin while pushing up the yellow crop top deviously slow. It was taking conscious effort on Yang's part not to squirm- not because she _wanted_ to remain still but because she didn't want to risk startling the heiress. However, all the self control in the world fled her the moment Weiss made a detour to dip her tongue into the blonde's belly button. She curled up, one hand shooting to keep the heiress in place as she hissed in surprised pleasure. Her imagination immediately supplied her with an image of Weiss' tongue dipped just a bit lower, making her legs twitch closer together. The teasing she'd endured throughout the day was exacting its toll now, making her incredibly sensitive _everywhere_ , apparently.

"Yang? Talk to us." Blake leaned in to brush her knuckles across the blonde's cheek. "Good? Bad?"

"Good." She forced out, taking a deep steadying breath and flashing them both a smile. "Really good. I didn't expect that." Her hand lightly stroked through Weiss' hair before moving to retreat, stopped a moment later by the heiress herself. Yang raised a brow. "Princess?"

"You're not being very helpful _telling_ us what's good or not." The smaller woman cleared her throat and glanced away. "I mean, in the moment, at any rate. So, we'll try this. If... that's okay?"

"Yeah." She nodded absently, running her hand over the pure white locks again before tangling her fingers in the strands. "Yeah, it's fine. Let's try it."

Settling back into the mattress, Yang took another steadying breath and nodded for Weiss to continue. Which she did, though she was kind enough to hike the blonde's shirt up a little faster than before, which was a relief.

She wasn't sure how much more of this teasing she could take.

Blake shuffled over- either because she wanted a better view or to provide assistance, it was difficult to tell- and the blonde couldn't allow herself to just do nothing, so she used her other hand to reach up and lightly rub her girlfriend's cat ears. That was apparently the best thing she _could_ do, as the Faunus instantly began purring and leaning her head into the touch, trailing her fingers lightly along Yang's stomach. That coupled with Weiss' kisses was going to drive her mad if it went on too long, she swore.

Luckily, things were moving right along as the heiress pushed the yellow fabric up and over the swell of her breasts, exposing the black bra she was wearing underneath. It also became readily apparent that it was a strapless bra, which seemed to catch both of her girlfriends' attention.

Pulling back the fabric of the left cup, Weiss' tongue flicked out, not exactly where the blonde wanted her but much closer than kissing her stomach. All she could think to do was pull the heiress closer to her, hoping the action would encourage Weiss rather than upset her. It worked; instead of wasting time unhooking her bra first, the heiress just pulled it down enough to lavish more attention on her sensitive flesh. Eager to join in, Blake assisted in pulling down the garment to gain access to Yang's other breast, her girlfriends working together to reach under her and unclasp the damn thing. She tried to help them as much as possible... but she wasn't as concerned with removing the damn thing as she was with having them continue.

And when they _finally_ wrested the damn thing away and returned their mouths to her skin? _Yes_. There really wasn't much she could do at this point except moan and pull both of them closer, arching her back to maximize just how wonderful everything felt. Blake was using her teeth to lightly nip the tender underside while Weiss sucked the other, the differing pressures and styles absolutely the best damn thing she could've imagined- no, better, _way_ better than she could've imagined. Especially when they both shifted, bringing their bare skin even more in contact with hers and suddenly she wished her damn shorts were gone. She thought about reaching down to rid herself of the nuisance before a particularly hard suck from Weiss and a forceful nip from Blake discouraged that train of thought.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Yang."

"You're not supposed to be doing any work, remember?" Weiss lifted up long enough to send her a glare. "You're supposed to lay back and relax. We'll take care of you."

In her head, she constructed a very logical and sound response; when she tried to voice it, it came out as a needy whine that she couldn't even pretend to be embarrassed by at this point.

Both of her girlfriends just laughed, leaning up to kiss her cheeks.

"I suppose we can skip ahead, a little." The heiress relented, poking her breast. "But you'd better be good. Or else."

She pressed her head back into the mattress and groaned. "How can you threaten me when you're supposed to be making up to me?"

"Don't lie, Yang; you wouldn't have it any other way." Blake pointed out, helping Weiss pop open the button on her shorts and pushing them down.

That _should_ have been an absolute relief. However, leave it to their precious Princess to be detail oriented, even at a time like this.

"Yang, why does your underwear not match?" Blue eyes flicked from her white hipsters to her black bra.

Oh for the love of _dust_. If this were just about any other situation, she'd likely be a little embarrassed, but considering she was laying between her naked girlfriends about to be equally naked? Yeah, fuck it, she was just going to be honest and get the laughing over with.

"Habit." She sighed, closing her eyes to make things a little easier. On her, anyway. "When I figured out I had a crush on both of you... I didn't like wearing only one color. So I mixed up my sets of white and black; I always wear one of each." There was a moment of silence before she groaned. "Go ahead, you two, you can laugh; it's ridiculous."

"It's romantic." Blake corrected, surprising the blonde by leaning in for a kiss, tongue flicking out briefly to trace her lower lip. The moment she opened up to deepen it, though, the Faunus withdrew, a twinkle in those amber orbs. "You've been thinking about this for a while."

"Imagined it. Never thought it would happen." She admitted, finally daring to look over at Weiss, who was intently... staring off into space.

Finally, she turned towards the Faunus. "Blake, at the next available opportunity, we're going shopping in town." She sighed. "I can't very well use my scroll to order lingerie without rousing suspicion."

Blake's ears flattened slightly. "Are they going to be monogrammed?"

"I'm considering it. Just our initials." Weiss raised a brow. "Is that a problem?"

"I thought you might suggest 'property of' instead." She pointedly flicked her ears. "At which point, I'd have to object on principle."

"Ah... no, I don't think I'm quite _that_ possessive."

"Yet," Yang and Blake said in unison, both of them grinning at the petulant little scowl shot their way. "Come on, Princess, you know we're just teasing."

"I suppose," she replied, turning her attention to the blonde's shorts. "At any rate, a discussion for later."

"Right." Blake started tugging on the crop top. "Later."

Yang helped them as best she could without doing the undressing herself, allowing her girlfriends to run their hands across the newly exposed skin. To her slight disappointment, Weiss stopped just above the thinned patch of curly blonde hair at the apex of her thighs, either out of trepidation or to return to her previous task. On the one hand, that was a good thing, because she didn't want to be the first one getting pleasure tonight. On the other... _damnit_ was she horny as hell right now, which kicked into overdrive as her girlfriends settled on each side of her again and resumed lavishing attention on her breasts.

Of the three of them, Yang definitely had the biggest chest, which both of her lovers (it wasn't too early to call them that, right? Whatever) seemed to be absolutely gleeful about, because they could use a hand and their mouths at the same time. Finding herself only allowed to accept the attention, the blonde returned her hands to their previous positions, forcing her mind to focus long enough to ensure she wasn't being too rough with the Faunus' ears or Weiss' hair. The appreciative murmurs she got in response seemed to indicate she was dead on the money, so she continued to do what she could while they absolutely worshiped her chest.

Just like her girlfriends, Yang eventually reached the point she couldn't help but rock her hips slightly, searching for something to ease the burning desire in her core. Sure, she was rather, erm, top heavy, but playing with the girls never really gave her the same level of satisfaction as a more direct approach. Yet, somehow, she was already feeling herself start that pleasurable climb.

Thankfully, Blake took control and pulled away with Weiss following shortly; _she_ sure as hell didn't have the self control to do it. She hadn't even noticed how heavily she was breathing until that moment, whining at the loss of contact despite wanting to desperately move on to the next part of the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut ahead.


	9. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut Ahead. Also, headcanons.

"Well, seems like we're all set." The Faunus looked between her girlfriends. "Who first?"

"Yang."

"Weiss." Blake at least had the sense to not be surprised by that and the blonde cut off her other girlfriend before she could even get started. "If you're still trying to make up to me, then go first." She sat up, reaching out to pull the heiress towards her and steal a quick kiss. "Trust me, Princess. Please."

Truthfully, she couldn't imagine her self control lasting much longer if she received more attention; she'd need to calm herself down a little and vent before that.

Weiss held her gaze for a long moment before nodding, accepting Yang's decision. With hardly any effort, the blonde picked her up and settled them down again, the heiress' back to her front, just like before. Except, _way_ better, because all the barriers were gone, allowing their skin to press together in a way that already had a groan slipping from their lips without actually doing anything. Eagerly, Blake slid between their legs, sparing a glance down at the bare skin she was about to become intimately familiar with very shortly, licking her lips in anticipation.

Just like before, the Faunus used one hand to pin both of Weiss' wrists above her head, amber eyes dancing with an unspoken promise that struggling too hard wouldn't be appreciated. Reasonably certain her precious hair wouldn't come to harm- at least for the time being- Yang slid her hands down to grip the heiress' thighs, pulling them apart some more, ensuring Blake had more than enough room to work. She almost wished she could crane her neck up and reach the Faunus' breasts swaying above her but Blake was intentionally keeping just out of her range, trailing her fingers lightly against Weiss' lower belly.

"Are you ready, Princess?" Blake whispered, gaze sweeping over the heiress' form, drinking in how vulnerable she must look. Yang could help but close her eyes and imagine herself in the Faunus' position, their girlfriend beneath her, spread open-

"Yes." Oh wow, there was so much want and need packed into that one little word, Yang couldn't help but hum as she ducked her head to start mouthing at the sensitive skin behind Weiss' ear, earning a shudder for her efforts just before the heiress cried out.

"Oh, Weiss." The words were like a prayer, full of wonder and amazement as the Faunus sunk her finger into the waiting warmth. Yang could feel the heiress' muscles tensing and relaxing, straining toward their girlfriend's touch. She took a strange, perverse pleasure in holding Weiss still, fully aware her strength was keeping Weiss exactly where Blake wanted her, making her partially responsible for the needy moans falling from those soft pink lips. "You're so wet. How long have you been dreaming about this?"

If the blonde wasn't so busy thoroughly enjoying herself, she might've teased the Faunus. She was pretty sure that line came directly from the third _Ninjas of Love_ book... pointing that out, however, would give away that she'd been sneaking Blake's books, so, all for the better that she was more focused on teasing Weiss, running her tongue along the heiress' pounding pulse.

" _So_ long." Either she was too far gone to realize she'd spoken aloud or Weiss fully intended for them to hear; it really didn't matter. Those worse sent a shock through both of her girlfriends, Yang's grip digging into supple thighs harder than before as Blake groaned, beginning to rock her hand, adding force as she pumped her finger in and out of their girlfriend. The blonde could tell when a second finger was added, the heiress arching her back and crying out, clearly enjoying the attention.

"Is it everything you wanted?" Blake's voice was husky, obviously taking just as much pleasure from listening to Weiss as she was giving to the woman.

Panting heavily, the heiress either didn't have the breath to respond- which Yang sincerely doubted- or lacked the presence of mind to string words together, instead turning her head slightly to catch the blonde's gaze. They looked at each other for a moment, silent except for the uncontrollable gasps of pleasure Blake was coaxing from Weiss, and then the heiress glanced down briefly, biting her lip and whining.

As far as clues went, it was _really_ fucking vague, but Yang wasn't discouraged in the slightest, lilac eyes quickly scanning for what could possibly increase Weiss' pleasure. Once she hit on something, however, there was no reliable way of checking if she was right, seeing as the Faunus was working a bit faster, fixated on the noises their girlfriend was making.

Well, trial by error it is then.

Using her right, Yang squeezed Weiss' thigh especially hard, turning her head enough to growl directly into the heiress' ear. "Keep it wide." If the moan that answered her was any indication, Weiss _really_ liked the more forceful approach, so she moved her hand up, briefly squeezing at the heiress' hip before continuing up. Though more mindful about what she was doing this time around, the blonde was no less rough as she groped one pale breast. True to form, Weiss reacted immediately, turning her head and moaned louder, body writhing in undeniable pleasure. "Oh, like that, huh?"

" _Yes!_ "

Not keen on denying herself what she could get, the blonde turned her head and captured Weiss' lips with her own, shoving her tongue deep into the heiress' open mouth. Although she gave the pretense of struggling, the woman submitted almost the instant their tongues came into contact, whining and whimpering as Blake increased her pace. It was still an awkward as hell angle to be kissing someone but Weiss was doing most of the work on this one, reminding both of her girlfriends just how limber she was.

Yang kept up her rough fondling, breaking the kiss long enough to look up at Blake and make sure the Faunus had all the room to work that she needed. At some point, she'd moved even closer, using her hips to keep the heiress spread open, allowing the blonde to move her other hand and give Weiss' neglected breast some well deserved attention.

The heiress reacted immediately, arching into Yang's hands while rolling her hips, turning her into a writhing, needy mess.

"Oh, you _really_ like that." The blonde grinned, flicking her fingers over the supple flesh to locate Weiss' erect nipples, giving them both a firm tweak in tandem with Blake doing something that had the heiress screaming out in pleasure.

What followed was a reminder at the heiress' impressive lung capacity, a long string of unbroken praise, pleads, and cries of pleasure erupting from that slender throat. Blake was obviously enthralled with it, drinking in every syllable with the most plain look of growing hunger flashing in her eyes, getting just as much pleasure from the verbal confirmation as she was giving to the woman pinned beneath her. From her spot, Yang was entranced; she didn't doubt the Faunus would look absolutely amazing in the throes of passion but right now, she looked fucking _gorgeous_. She was practically glowing with pride at what she was doing to their girlfriend, drunk off the power to please the woman beneath her.

 _Damnit_ she could wait for her turn to be on the giving end.

"Blake! Yang! Yes!" Weiss cried, panting heavily as she finally reached the limit of her breath, completely absorbed in the pleasure being visited upon her by her girlfriends. "Don't stop! More, _please_!"

"Someone's greedy." Blake chuckled lowly, pausing in her ministrations long enough to earn a whine of disappointment before getting back into it, picking up her pace. "Such a greedy little Princess."

Yang mentally added 'dirty talk' to the list of things the small woman on top of her apparently enjoyed, drinking in the long moan that followed Blake's words.

Well, she couldn't let the Faunus have _all_ the fun, now could she?

"Ours," she said, voice husky and hoarse as she bent down, scraping her teeth against Weiss' shoulder. Despite how badly she wanted to, she remembered the heiress' rule about marks- and, really, every outfit Weiss owned covered her shoulders from mid-clavical out, so they could probably get away with it, theoretically- and restrained herself, but the promise of what she _could_ do had Weiss trembling and whimpering. The heiress was a desperate, needy mess and both of her girlfriends were absolutely _loving_ it. "Our greedy, precious, little Princess."

Every word was punctuated by rough groping at her breasts while Blake timed thrusting roughly into her as a counterpoint, rocking Weiss' body atop Yang's. The blonde wasn't in the prime position to gauge it but, if she had to guess, the heiress couldn't be far off from her climax, not with the way her entire body seemed to be wound so tightly. Given that last synchronized assault, whatever resistance the heiress was clinging to had to be dissipating quickly.

The resulting moan was cut short, strangled by a choked plea. "Blake, Yang, please- I- I'm so- _please_."

In any other circumstance, she'd heavily consider stopping what she was certain was coming (damnit, that one was unintentional, but still gold) but- seeing as it _was_ their first time doing this- the blonde allowed things to play out, forcing herself not to roll her eyes at the words rolled off Blake's tongue.

"Come for us, Weiss."

Internally, she fondly sighed. Of all the cliches... ah, well, the words sounded pretty fucking amazing in Blake's low, sultry voice, so she couldn't complain too much, she supposed, especially when faced with the result.

Whether or not Weiss was holding off on her orgasm didn't matter. Her body suddenly went taunt as her head tilted back, crying out as she fell over the edge. Both of her girlfriends immediately changed tactics; Blake continued thrusting her fingers into the heiress in time with each pulse of her climax while Yang smoothed her hands across pale skin, reassuringly rubbing away any lingering stress as the woman's body went limp. Her chest was heaving, as expected, glazed over blue eyes unfocused as she stared at the ceiling, the last aftershocks dying out completely shortly after.

As they waited for their girlfriend to recover, Yang used her fingers and palms to started massaging the heiress' slim hips, chasing away any lingering soreness that might crop up tomorrow. True, her aura should do most of the work on its own, but the blonde favored a more personal touch. Blake, meanwhile, kept the fingers still deep within Weiss absolutely still while laying a litany of butterfly kisses across the pale chest beneath her, careful not to let her weight settle on Weiss just yet. The hand formerly pinning both wrists to the mattress retracted, both girlfriends soothing away any stiffness in her shoulders with gentle but firm caresses.

In the back of her mind, Yang was hoping both of her girlfriends were the cuddling types after they came, because she sure as hell was. It was probably her favorite part of intimate encounters, if she was honest with herself; just basking in the afterglow, curled up with someone she... really, really cared about.

... Crap, she was getting ahead of herself again.

"Mmmmm." Weiss blinked, taking a deep breath and releasing it slowly, every last bit of tension completely gone from her body and a bright, surprisingly dopey smile on her lips.

"Welcome back, Princess." The blonde murmured, pressing another kiss behind her girlfriend's ear. Weiss immediately turned her head, coaxing Yang into a long, languid kiss.

In her head she was cheering, absolutely giddy with how affectionate the heiress was acting, pulling Blake down to settle her weight firmly on both of them. Although it was shorter than she would've liked, Yang didn't complain as the woman immediately shifted her attention to the Faunus, pulling her into an equally slow kiss. To her credit, Yang was only slightly apprehensive as Weiss moved a hand to tangle in her hair, holding her breath as she focused on not reacting to the pain she expected. It was in vain, though, as the heiress was just as careful as the first time she'd played with the golden locks, allowing Yang to relax and enjoy watching her girlfriends make out.

As Blake drew away, she also removed her hand, prompting a brief whine of loss from the woman's throat. Subconsciously, the blonde licked her lips as the pungent scent of Weiss' arousal hit her nose, Blake's fingers absolutely drenched in the shimmering liquid. She didn't hold it against the Faunus- truly, she didn't- when she caught the faintest hint of disappointment in those amber eyes.

"We had an agreement." She offered her fingers, instantly causing Weiss to stare at Blake in confusion.

Of course, Yang wasn't too keen on wasting her time verbally explaining, straining her neck and curling forward to draw the digits into her mouth. Ignoring Weiss' gasp of surprise and Blake's whimper, the blonde moaned at the flavor, using her tongue to swirl around the Faunus' fingers and get every drop. It wasn't exactly the taste she was enjoying, though; it was the implied intimacy. That Weiss and Blake trusted her enough for the three of them to be in this position- that meant more than the actions themselves.

At least, when her libido wasn't in the driver's seat, it was. (Hey, she was only Human.)

Only once she was absolutely certain Blake's hand was completely free of their girlfriend's essence did the blonde allow the digits to be removed from her mouth, suddenly becoming aware that she was now sitting up. The heiress was in her lap, eyes wide and caught between arousal and horror as Yang licked her lips. Blake smiled, leaning in to nuzzle Weiss' cheek.

"Have you ever thought about it?" Her voice was light, trying very hard to cover up the lust that was obviously swirling in her. Heck, if the blonde wasn't so used to deciphering her tones, she might've missed it herself. While focusing on Weiss had calmed Yang down, it seemed to have to opposite effect on the Faunus, which was fine- as far as she was concerned, that wouldn't be a problem for very long at all. "Oral sex?"

"Erm, o-of course." A blush rose in her cheeks as she averted her gaze, refusing to make eye contact with either of her girlfriends. "I just... do I... taste..."

A wicked smile split the blonde's lips. Oh, she was not above teasing the hell out of their girlfriend at this point and Blake was in no position to stop her. "You taste _delicious_ , Princess. Best thing I've had all day, and I bet it's better straight from the source."

Yup, that had the heiress' attention, her hips shifting subtly as the prospect was dangled in front of her. Yang was on the verge of breaking it to Weiss that she was only teasing when those blue eyes seemed to snap back into focus, landing on the Faunus.

"Another night, maybe." She reached out, running her fingers through raven locks with a hungry smile taking over her lips. "I think it's Blake's turn." Okay, as much as she hated to admit it, the blonde was genuinely surprised. Shit, by the look on the Faunus' face, she was too! Which, of course, didn't go unnoticed. "Why are you _both_ looking at me like that?"

Oh, that was a dangerous question. Lilac met amber, the two silently arguing who would bite the bullet before Yang sighed.

"We're just surprised, that's all." Rather than be straight up blunt about it, the blonde lowered her voice and spoke directly into the heiress' ear. Maybe if she just played it off as more teasing, the heiress would let the whole thing slide. "We might've thought that our precious, greedy girlfriend might be a bit of a pillow princess, too." At the lack of reaction, she rolled her eyes and silently cursed her luck. "A pillow princess is someone who receives but doesn't really... um, give."

" _What?_ " Yep, she was in trouble. The heiress twisted around, directing her... _Weiss_ cold fury (puns were vital at a time like this, for the sake of her sanity) at the blonde first, though Blake was hovering nearby to intervene and gained the heiress' attention a moment later, but that gaze settled back on the blonde far too quickly.

How was it that- on their first _fucking_ day in this relationship- she'd not only managed to get into bed with her girlfriends, but also landed herself in the doghouse with one of them? How was that cosmically fair, huh?

"Both of you honestly thought I wouldn't be equally invested in returning the favor?" There was little bite to the words- perhaps a shade of wounded pride, but it was paired with just enough of a teasing lilt for Yang and Blake to look at each, ensuring they heard correctly. Then, the blonde's focus was forcibly redirected as Weiss straddled her hips, gently forcing her to lay back on the mattress. If it wasn't for the fact she was probably still in trouble, she'd focus more on the delight she got from feeling the slickness between the heiress' thighs against her lower belly. Absently, she made a mental note to revisit that at a later date. "Granted I might be a bit... apprehensive, because I'm not entirely sure of what- how- whatever, I just don't have experience, okay?" Any hint of disappointment or annoyance disappeared in that second, replaced by the anxiety Weiss was obviously struggling to keep in check. "I _can_ do it. Just... I need time... to learn."

Okay, so, in hindsight, she totally deserved the doghouse, and Blake at least looked guilty enough that she wasn't alone in that thought.

Alright, time to clear the air.

"And that's completely okay." Yang reached up with both hands, cupping the heiress' face gently and running her thumbs over smooth cheeks. "There's no rush. The last thing I want is you doing something strictly for my sake."

"Or mine." Blake slid up behind the woman, loosely wrapping her arms around her slim waist. "Especially if it makes you uncomfortable."

The blonde leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to Weiss' lips before breaking away and allowing the Faunus to do the same.

"We didn't mean to upset you, Princess. It was a silly guess and we were wrong." Blake nuzzled into her neck while Yang pressed another kiss to her forehead. "We're sorry."

"Both of us." Blake clarified, just in case.

That seemed enough to pacify their girlfriend, though any anger she might've held seemed to slip away almost immediately after The Stare was delivered. "I understand; I'm not _mad_ about it, per say... but I want to make it clear that any reluctance on my part isn't born from a lack of desire. Just... a bit of trepidation regarding the mechanics of it all."

"Okay." The blonde nodded slowly, her movements picking up speed as she pieced a plan together, her lips splitting into a grin. "Okay, well, we're your girlfriends, Weiss, so we can be your teachers too!" She lightly squeezed the smaller woman's hips. "Hop out of my lap for a bit."

With a raised brow, the heiress complied, sliding off to the side and trying bury the insecurity she'd let show. Deciding to spare her the embarrassment of focusing on it, the blonde proceeded with her plan, coaxing Blake into her lap. Except, like Weiss had earlier, the Faunus was facing away from her as she laid down, Yang's breasts pressing against the taunt, smooth muscles of her girlfriend's back. Unlike the smaller woman, her partner was nearly the same height if she lacked a bit of shoulder width in comparison, making the experience wholly unique despite the similarities.

Making sure the mane of raven hair was well away from her face, Yang ran her hands over her girlfriend's skin, picking out every scar along the way as she eventually settled her left under Blake's right breast while her other hand hovered just above the black hair at the apex of her thighs. Blake gasped, briefly tensing her muscles before relaxing into Yang's embrace, the ears atop her head twitching in anticipation.

"Alright, now scoot down between our legs and hold Blake like I did for you."

"So you can have 'room to work with', I presume?" The heiress did as asked, kneeling between her girlfriends' spread legs and lightly setting both hands on the Faunus' thighs, prompting another gasp.

"Nah, not really." Yang's grin widened a bit. "I want to make sure you've got a good view. You've already experienced it so consider this your first official lesson on the fine art of fingering."

Blake snorted, though her amusement was dampened somewhat by the undercurrent of breathless anticipation in her voice. "Really? No puns?"

" _Why_ are you encouraging her?"

"Hmmm, I'm actually on Weiss' side this time, Blakey." The blonde murmured, running her fingers through the coarse hair just above where the Faunus wanted her- where _she_ wanted to explore- without providing any satisfaction. "I want her full attention on _you_ , which means no distractions."

That brought out a slight whimper from Blake, who was gripping the bed sheets beside them for lack of something else to hold onto, the pinch to her cheek hinting that she was biting her lip in an effort to stifle the noise. While she had intended to tease her girlfriend a bit as payback for earlier, that was a much stronger reaction than she'd anticipated. Stroking through the hair just above Blake's center didn't seem to prompt a similar reaction. Okay, time for a different tactic.

"Oh, Blakey, are you enjoying this? I haven't even done anything yet." Another muffled whimper, barely audible as the Faunus' body writhed in place atop the blonde.

Lilac eyes slid over to meet ice blue as she raised a brow. That was new and something she hadn't really suspected throughout their time as partners, although it did make a lot of sense now that she thought about it. Effectively having four ears probably made sounds a bit more impact for the Faunus and, given the intimate setting, it was only natural that the heightened sense would lend itself to her arousal. Yang could work with that, and it seemed this, at least, was within Weiss' comfort zone.

"Maybe we should wait." The heiress began stroking along the soft skin of the Faunus' thighs, a coy little smile on her lips. Even if hearing wasn't as big a thing for the blonde, the tone Weiss was using was definitely working on her, too. "If this is enough-"

"No, please." Blake took a deep breath, puffing it out while rolling her hips. The blonde spared a moment to admire just how needy their girlfriend was already, how desperate she was for things to continue. It was satisfying in a wonderfully intimate way. "Keep going. I... I want..."

"More?" Yang supplied, her fingers teasing down to lightly stroke the hard nub of Blake's clitoris, relishing the hiss that slipped past her lips.

"I think..." Weiss' gaze fell, watching every move the blonde made and reactions they garnered from their girlfriend. "I think she likes being part of this... demonstration."

"Oh, is that it?" She chuckled, tilting her head enough to plant a soft kiss behind Blake's Human ear. Just how many buttons were they pushing with this position, then? "Do you like being watched, Kitten?"

A series of events happened in the split second after those words left her mouth. One- she mentally smacked herself and screamed at whatever _stupid_ part of her brain was dedicated to thinking up pet names because, _damnit what was she thinking?_ Two- Weiss gave her such an intensely cold glare, she sincerely believed she would be frozen in place from it, the sheer level of disapproval making every other glare before it pale in comparison. Three... Blake outright _moaned_ , turning her head away from both of them as a shiver wracked her frame.

She couldn't help but raise a brow. Okay, so... maybe stupid idea wasn't _that_ stupid?

"Blake?" Although her fury had calmed considerably, it was replaced with a fragile trepidation that showed clearly in her expression. Yang was right there with her, not moving a muscle as they waited for the verbal thrashing she was certain awaited her. "Blake... please talk to us."

They were met with silence for a long moment, only broken by the Faunus' stuttered breaths. Yang was too terrified to even consider breathing, nevermind how essential it was, and Weiss was being quiet, too. Then, Blake turned her head just enough that those amber orbs could dart between her two lovers before closing.

"It's wrong, isn't it?" She cringed, turning her head away again. "Having a... positive reaction to that name?"

"Sh, Blake."

"Blakey, no."

Both of them suddenly jumped into action, Yang moving her hands to less sensitive areas of the Faunus' body while Weiss leaned forward, cupping her face.

"There's no right or wrong here, between us. Only what we do and don't like." The heiress leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on the end of Blake's nose. "Talk to us, Blake."

"She's right." Yang spoke in a soothing tone, pressing a kiss to the Faunus' shoulder. "I don't know why I said that, but whether or not I do it again is entirely up to you. There is no wrong answer."

Blake took a deep breath, relaxing in place as she moved her hands, placing one along Weiss' ribs while the other gently squeezed the blonde's hip. "I... My whole life, being a Faunus has been looked at as a curse, this _thing_ that defined me and made me less. Less of an individual, less of a being... less attractive." She shrugged. "Every time someone's called me 'kitten' it's been because of my heritage, not because they cared enough to acknowledge every part of me."

Yang furrowed her brows, the gears in her head turning a fraction of a second slower than Weiss'.

"Is that what this is about?" The heiress reached up, tracing her fingers along the velvety edge of one cat ear, allowing Yang to mimic the motions to the other, which she readily did. To be frank, a part of her had always wanted to use the pet name, ever since learning about the Faunus' heritage just like she called Weiss 'Princess', but refrained because she didn't want to upset her partner. However, if it was merely a matter of differentiating herself from those blasted ignorant racists Blake had encountered all her life, well, that was something Yang was more than willing to do, at every available opportunity. "Does our sweet Kitten think for a second that we don't adore _every inch_ of her?"

Blake groaned just before a purr started in the back of her throat, ears straining towards the attention being given them as her eyes fluttered closed. They'd done this before, sure, but in this intimate setting, the blonde could tell just how powerful an erogenous zone touching her cat ears was. She really wouldn't be surprised if the Faunus came from this contact alone, which was a convincing argument to retract her hand for the time being, Weiss doing the same a moment later. It took a little longer for their girlfriend to recover, though.

"I- I know you both do." She opened her eyes, amber orbs clouded over by a powerful lust. "But, please... _show_ me."

"As my Kitten commands," the blonde replied, pressing a soft kiss to her girlfriend's cheek while Weiss leaned back, restoring her unobstructed view of Blake's core.

No longer content with teasing, Yang swiftly passed her fingers through the coarse hair to reach her girlfriend's center, moaning quietly at the wetness she found. She wasn't quite sure what had done most of the job in working the Faunus up but it made everything so deliciously slick, and she wasn't the only one to notice.

"Oh, _Kitten_." Weiss breathed, stroking her hands along the Blake's thighs.

The purr reignited in the back of Blake's throat as Yang used her middle finger to lazily slide up and down through her lips, ensuring her finger was well coated in the natural lubricant. She was still giving a demonstration after all.

"Okay, Princess, first important thing to know is that the wetter, the better." Her voice was soft, just loud enough to be heard so she could listen to the purr rumbling in her ear, noting every minute change. It seemed that the instructions were doing just as much to arouse their girlfriend as the touch. "A little friction is good but too much is going to cause pain. That's why you don't just dive in; take a little time to... excite yourselves. Then, once your lover's nice and wet, you want to find two places to start off. We're not doing anything... adventurous tonight, okay?"

Weiss watched intently, absently rubbing circles into the muscles of the Faunus' thighs, her gaze deviating only when Blake's purr hitched to ensure everything was alright. Given the way she was jumping beneath Yang's hands, the blonde suspected even her instructions were having an effect on their girlfriend, despite intentionally straying from a... sexier approach to the topic.

"The first is the vagina." Would it be childish to giggle? Probably, but it was _such_ an awkward word. Either way, she used her first and third fingers to spread Blake's lower lips open, tracing her middle around the opening in question. "You'll want to dip in, make sure everything's nice and slick, if it isn't already. Buuuuuut, since our sweet little Kitten's ready to play, we'll skip that for now."

" _Yang_." Blake growled out, clearly not enjoying the teasing, tortuously slow pace now that she was on the receiving end.

The blonde was relatively certain anything she did would come back to bite her anyway, so she continued with her plan, drawing her finger up, relying on touch alone to find her target. "And this magic little button is the clitoris. Super important- it's nothing but a bundle of nerves and touching it-"

The Faunus' purr ramped up in intensity as her head tilted back, happily soaking up the attention she'd sought for so long. Weiss' eyes widened, her gaze shooting to Blake's thighs as they twitched against her hands. The blonde wasn't in much of a hurry at present, so she started out with slow circles, just stoking the warmth suffusing her girlfriend's body.

"Hmmm, yeah, just like that. Some gals are a bit more... responsive than others." She punctuated the sentence by applying a tad more pressure, prompting a whimper from the Faunus.

The heiress rolled her eyes. "Clever word choice."

Oh, she couldn't resist. "What can I say? I'm a _cunning linguist_."

" _Yang!_ " Blake rolled her hips, desperately seeking more friction.

Rather than take the admonishment to heart, the blonde rolled right on ahead. "Okay, you felt that, right? That twitching? If you're doing it right, she probably won't be able to remain still, _or_ she wants you somewhere specific, so pay attention. Let her body talk to you." To illustrate her point, Yang switched it up, stopping her circles to move her fingers up and down, exerting a tad bit more pressure than before. "Blake's body is _very_ talkative, isn't it?"

This time, the Faunus couldn't help but cry out and squeeze with both her hands. Weiss groaned, pushing Blake's thighs open wider, biting her lip as she watched the movements of the blonde's hand.

"Every now and then, you want to make sure your finger is still wet enough." Yang smirked, once again tracing her finger down to hesitate just outside the Faunus' entrance. "And while you're there, you want to be _sure_ to make yourself familiar." She slowly pushed her finger inside of her girlfriend, watching and feeling the reaction it garnered from both of her lovers. "Go slow at first. Let her really _feel_ you."

Blake, of course, showed her approval for the turn of events by purring even louder, body arching into the blonde's touch as her grip tightened momentarily. A moan slipped out as Yang's second knuckle slipped inside of her, a sound which was echoed two fold by both of the women. Weiss, entirely entranced, used her nails to lightly draw red lines across smooth skin.

For her part, the blonde was fighting to keep her pace from picking up, abandoning the 'lesson' pretense entirely to indulge in the wonderful sensations of being so intimate with someone she cared about so deeply. This was always the second best part of sex, in her opinion- learning someone else's body as well as she knew her own, being given free reign to do so. It was satisfying in a way being touched herself could never compare, even if she did rather enjoy that part, too.

"Once you're inside, feel around. There's one special little part towards the front that'll feel rough and bumpy and stuff. That's the g-spot. Just curling your finger into it and push-" While she was anticipating a reaction, the one she got was a lot stronger than she was anticipating. The Faunus damn near hurt one of them, her body wracked by a violent tremor that startled Weiss as her inner muscles clamped down on Yang's digit. _Damn_ that was amazing and Yang nearly choked on the surprised groan that erupted from her. "Uh, okay, so, Blake _really_ likes that, apparently. Keep that in mind." With a devious little smirk, she withdrew and moved up, returning her attentions to the Faunus' clitoris. "But we don't want to spoil the fun so soon, now do we? We'll save that for when she's near the edge."

Whatever objection Blake might've had was cut short as the blonde added her other hand into the equation, sliding it up to cup one full breast. Larger than Weiss' but smaller than her own, Yang's fingers went straight to the stiff bud of her nipple, rolling it in time with the circles she was drawing around the Faunus' clit.

"Think you've got the basics down?" She waited for the heiress' nod before grinning, almost too damn giddy for her own good. "Great. There's a test, just so you know, but let's worry about that later. Right now, our sweet little Kitten deserves a special treat for helping with this demonstration, yeah?"

"Absolutely." Weiss dove forward, eagerly locking lips with their girlfriend while Yang returned her attention to driving the Faunus absolutely insane.

She alternated the pressure she was exerting on her lover's clit, changed between rough groping of her breast to more precise fondling while paying special attention to any cue Blake was able to give. The Faunus was under constant assault, her body always in motion as it strained towards every pleasurable touch delivered by either the woman above her or the one below her. The blonde had suspected that allowing Weiss to go first- and to let Blake be the one pleasuring her- would give a substantial headstart towards the Faunus' climax and it appeared she was dead on the money with that guess, ducking her head to lightly nip at her girlfriend's shoulder.

Another thing she noticed was that Blake was _vocal_. Her constant purring was only halted so she could moan, whimper, or breathe, and then picking up a moment later. This meant that she was nigh constantly out of breath, her chest heaving as she sucked in lungfuls of air at every available opportunity. The way it made her look... once again, Yang found herself a touch envious of their girlfriend's position, able to witness exactly how wild they were driving Blake.

Weiss eventually broke off the kiss to alleviate some of that oxygen deprivation and observe exactly how far they'd pushed their girlfriend before shifting her focus to the Faunus' chest. From her position, Yang could see how she was tentative at first, brow pinched in concentration as she took one mound in her small hand. The blonde smiled against the skin of Blake's shoulder, moving the hand she had on the Faunus' other breast so the heiress could clearly see what she was doing.

Blue met lilac, an unspoken acknowledgement passing between them before Weiss' gaze deviated, observing the motions the blonde was making and copying them to the best of her ability. Blake's gasp and throaty moan was all the approval she needed to build up her confidence, the look of concentration sliding away as Weiss allowed herself to be swept into the sensual rhythm of their motions. Maybe it was instinct or drawing up her 'research', but once the heiress got going, Blake was _loving_ it.

Satisfied the heiress could handle the task, Yang removed her hand and trailed it down, reaching the round curve of her partner's hip and gripping it tightly, trying to mitigate the Faunus' rolling hips. Blake cried out, simultaneously denied the opportunity to control the pace of Yang's fingers while Weiss leaned down and took one stiff nipple into her mouth, white locks falling over her shoulder and brushing along sensitive flesh. One hand moved to cup its twin, not wanting any part of their girlfriend to feel neglected as they continued. It was obvious that Blake was already to the point where she'd unabashedly beg for release but the blonde wanted to prolong things just a bit further.

"Hmmmm, seems Kitten's all wound up," she said in a low, husky tone, relishing the keening whine that Blake gave out to confirm her words.

"She's _so_ beautiful, Yang." Weiss murmured, having lifted her head from the Faunus' chest long enough to rake her gaze over their lover, hungrily drinking in the sight while lightly tweaking Blake's nipples. "Absolutely _gorgeous_."

With notable effort, Blake turned her head to the side, amber eyes pleading with the blonde as she let out another moan, fighting to roll her hips against the woman's iron grip. Yang paused the movements of her fingers on Blake's clit, ignoring the whine that resulted while trying to parse what her girlfriend was obviously trying to convey. Amber eyes flicked several times towards her bunk, the Faunus growing frustrated to the point she might actually _vocalize_ what she was hinting at, a blush rising in her cheeks over the flush of her exertions. Utterly confused, Yang slid her gaze to where her girlfriend seemed to be indicating.

Then it dawned on the blonde and she had half a mind to slap a hand to her face in disbelief. Apparently, she really wasn't good at any form of sneaking. Blake was looking at the same place she kept her stash of _Ninjas of Love_ books and there certainly was something of a theme to most of them, especially when it came to the... passionate passages. She wasn't sure which was more unbelievable though: that it didn't occur to her before or that Blake was _seriously_ going that route.

Ah, well. Indulging her girlfriends came with its own reward, even if she thought it was ridiculous in its own right.

"Princess," she said, garnering her girlfriend's attention while resuming a slow pace with her fingers- just enough to keep Blake ready for the next part without nudging her closer to her finish. The moment Weiss met her gaze, she flicked her lilac eyes to Blake's head, hoping it would be enough to convey her intent. Thankfully, the heiress was absolutely on the same track, abandoning the Faunus' chest to lay her hands in the indicated spot. There was a moment when Blake's breathing hitched, amber eyes wide for just a moment before falling shut as Weiss started stroking the appendages, using every trick she'd learned in their relatively short time being allowed to touch the cat ears to drive the Faunus insane.

The rolling moan that resulted was absolute music to Yang's ears, her own body responding as the vibrations passed through their sweat slicked skin. Okay, _that_ was a unique benefit she hadn't thought about. Geez, with all the things she was learning tonight, she'd have fantasy material for _years_. She could get especially _creative_ the next time they arranged to have the room to themselves.

But pushing thoughts of future intimate encounters aside for the moment, the blonde slid her left hand up, no longer concerned with keeping her hips still as she filled her hand with one breast, roughly passing her fingers over slick skin. Her other hand she kept where it was, increasing the pace of the circles she was drawing over Blake's clit, wanting to work her up further. After all, she had a request to indulge, even if it did gall her a tad to be saying the words.

"Our precious little Kitten, so eager and open for us." Her memory wasn't the greatest, sure, but she must be close enough; Blake instantly keened, spreading her legs wider subconsciously. To be honest, the second _Ninjas of Love_ book wasn't one of her favorites but it was the last one she'd reread, so that dialogue was the easiest to recall. "How bad do you want it, Blakey?"

The Faunus whined, rolling her hips into the blonde's touch as an answer. Alright, she was about ninety-five percent sure that was the same response from the book.

She _could not believe_ they were doing this. She also couldn't believe they'd probably have to explain this to Weiss at some point.

Whatever; no one was going to say Yang Xiao Long half-assed pleasing her lovers.

"That's not an answer, Kitten." She growled lightly, lightly nipping Blake's ear as a warning and slowing her pace. "I want to hear you _say it_."

The inflection in her tone was unscripted but, as she suspected, real life could blow imagination out of the water, if the right circumstances were met. Apparently, the Faunus didn't mind her ad-libbing, the gasp that cut through her purring moans as genuine as the needy tone that followed.

" _Please_ Yang, Weiss- I'm _so_ close."

"Not close enough," the heiress replied, a coy little smile on her lips. "You'll have to beg for it, Kitten."

Oh, so someone _else_ has been sneaking Blake's books, too. Okay, maybe this was about to get a little interesting; between the two of them, Weiss definitely had a better memory and would probably be able to stick to the script. Plus, she seemed to be getting a kick out of it.

No longer concerned with carrying the mostly one-sided conversation, the blonde refocused her efforts elsewhere, careful to keep her girlfriend right on the edge without falling over. Truth be told, she was just as excited for Blake to reach her climax as the Faunus was, relishing the way her body moved and eager to see what she'd look like in her release.

" _Please_!" Their girlfriend was on the verge of tears, writhing towards every pleasure being visited upon her and moaning loudly, doing everything in her power to entice either woman to finish her off. "I _need_ it!"

"Not yet you don't." Blue eyes met lilac before darting south, mischievous glee showing plainly in the woman's face. "Just wait. We'll fix that."

Not that Yang could blame her, honestly, as she abandoned Blake's clit to slip inside of their girlfriend, searching for the same spot she'd hit earlier. It would be the sweetest torture they could lovingly visit upon the Faunus and the blonde had no doubt she would enjoy every second of it.

Blake certainly didn't disappoint, her cries becoming even louder as her inner muscles clenched, as clear a plea as her voice, words flowing between rumbling moans. The auditory overload was making both of her girlfriends groan, becoming drunk off the power to drive the typically reserved Faunus to such uninhibited expression. Neither halted or even slowed their ministrations; Weiss' hands were still on Blake's ears, scratching at the bases and tugging lightly, while the blonde pumped her fingers into the tight sheath surrounding them, hitting the same spot with the exacting precision of her usual punches. They were pushing the Faunus to her breaking point, relishing every reaction they coaxed out.

" _Please_! Weiss! Yang! _**Please**_ let me come!"

And that was the magic phrase, what both of her girlfriends were waiting for, finally breaking through the last barrier- real or not- in their way. In tandem, they spoke the words Blake was positively aching to hear.

"You may."

Sure, it was still a little silly- to Yang at least- but the results easily outweighed any complaint she might've had about cheesy dialogue.

With their permission granted, the Faunus' body went rigid, voice echoing in the small room as she cried out in ecstasy. Dust, Yang didn't even know her partner could _be_ that loud, ears ringing pleasantly from the sound of Blake's release. Just soaking in that sound, she allowed her fingers to remain fully within their girlfriend's core, pressing into her with enough force to prolong her peak as much as possible.

When it was obvious that Blake was coming down from her release, she started moving again, much slower than before. Although the change in pace threw Weiss off at first, she quickly adjusted her caresses of Blake's ears to ease her down while Yang slowed her pumping fingers, riding out the aftershocks of the orgasm rippling through their girlfriend's body. When they finally grew still, a new purr resonated from within the Faunus' chest, her head turning to nuzzle into the side of Yang's affectionately while releasing the bruising hold she'd kept on her girlfriend's hips, fingers stroking the formerly captive flesh soothingly.

For the moment, the blonde allowed her fingers to remain where they were, certain she'd become too tempted to clean up the mess coating her hand herself if she moved it, not that anyone was complaining. Carefully, Weiss settled herself on top of the spent Faunus, accepting the kiss Blake started a moment later, its cadence slow and languid.

Yang watched with a fond smile tugging at her lips, two sides at war within her. On the one hand, she was absolutely _soaked_ , having watched and felt both of her girlfriends reaching their peaks setting the fire within her to a low roar. _Dust_ did she just want to flip over on top of one of them and grind herself to completion, just so she could join them in post-coital bliss. But on the other... she felt pretty satisfied already. Not something she'd want to repeat on a daily basis, mind, but if they stopped here because Weiss and Blake were too far gone to finish her off, she wouldn't complain. Much.

Really, what more could she ask for? She'd seen Weiss- vulnerable and anxious- and Blake- revealing the beginning of her secret fantasies- both spent and exhausted on top of her. Better than anything _she_ dreamed up, that's for sure.

Sighing, the blonde craned her neck slightly to gently kiss along the side of Blake's neck, earning the Faunus' attention. She broke off her leisurely duel with Weiss to lavish a bit more affection on Yang, trading kisses in between rubbing their cheeks together. That _both_ of her girlfriends were so wonderfully affectionate after their orgasms was just about the best thing Yang could've ask for on top of everything else, the giddiness from earlier returning as she tugged Weiss a little more firmly against Blake.

Of course, that brought to the heiress' attention that she still hadn't moved the hand cupping their girlfriend's core, a light tug at her wrist all the prompting she needed to withdraw from inside the Faunus. Blake let out a whimpering little moan, not nearly as loud as the noises she made previously and interrupting her purr. The room became bizarrely quiet without Blake making any noise, the partners watching intently as Weiss fought a brief internal battle before accepting Yang's fingers into her mouth, one at a time. The first touch of tongue to flesh was hesitant, trepidation pulling the heiress' body as taunt as a bow string. Hardly a second later, Weiss let out an indulgent moan, her tongue eagerly lapping up every trace of Blake's essence from the blonde's hand as her eyes fluttered closed and body relaxed. Obviously approving of the sight, Blake resumed her purr, melting into Yang's embrace while lazily watching their girlfriend attend to her task.

The blonde, of course, was trying very, very, _very_ hard to bite down on her reaction. Since the moment they met, Yang accepted that Weiss had a sharp tongue and knew exactly how to use it. She _hoped_ that would translate to some notable skill in the bedroom, of course, but once again, the reality of the situation was taking all those stolen little fantasies and punting them out the window. The way her tongue was wrapping around each digit, fluctuating between thin and pointed probing and long, wide strokes was just _so_ good.

Blake was in for a _real_ treat whenever they got that far in their relationship. _Damnit_ , she didn't think she could get so turned on from such a simple action.

But she had to keep it together. This was a lot for one night and she was such a huge fan of affectionate cuddling after sex, her own climax wasn't enough of a priority to stop it.

"Well?" The Faunus chuckled lowly when Weiss finally released the blonde's captive digits. "How's the taste?"

With a smug little smirk, the heiress reached up and gently cupped Blake's cheek. " _Purr_ fect."

Yang couldn't fucking help herself; she laughed. To her mild surprise, even their girlfriend let out a tired little chuckle, affection still shining clearly in her amber eyes.

Damnit. Weiss just made a pun and Blake laughed at it and the blonde _really_ hoped this was an after effect of climax, because post-coital punny Weiss, beaming with pride as she tucked her head under the Faunus' chin, was just about the cutest damn thing in all of Remnant. No, it totally was, definitely, and Yang couldn't even give a fuck about anything aside from soaking up this moment.

The only thing that could possibly make this better was falling asleep, just like this. Okay, maybe not _exactly_ like this, because breathing would become a problem with both of her girlfriends using her as a pillow for a whole night (not that she'd ever imply such, of course) but on their sides, curled up around each other, skin pressed to skin everywhere... yeah, that would be the perfect way to end the night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is the last one for smut. Promise.


	10. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More smut. And headcanons.

"Are you ready, Yang?"

"Hmmm?" She hadn't even noticed her eyes had closed, too busy picturing the scene in her head to realize what she was doing. Not much had changed, of course, aside from the fire she could see igniting in blue and amber eyes. That set a smile tugging at her lips, despite missing whatever preceded Weiss' last question. "Sorry, what?"

Blake raised a brow, tilting her head slightly so she could look up and over her shoulder at her partner. "It's your turn."

"Oh." The blonde glanced away for a moment, trying to put her mind back on track. Incidentally, her gaze landed on the clock atop the bookshelf, noting the late hour. If they were lucky, Ruby wouldn't return for maybe another hour... which meant any time devoted to her 'turn' wouldn't be used cuddling. Yeah, of course she didn't really want to stop... but it was a long, tiring day, so neither did she want to push either of her girlfriends too far on their first night together. Stamina was something a lot of people lacked and, though their Huntress training imbued each of them with more than the average person, she'd rather not reach the limits of their endurance quite yet. "I'm fine, if you're both tired."

Suddenly, both of her girlfriends were giving her odd looks, exchanging a questioning glance between them before the heiress spoke. "Is something wrong?"

"What? No, nothing's wrong." Lilac eyes deviated for a brief moment, taking note of the clothes strewn about the room. The small space was in utter disarray; it was a wonder the smaller woman hadn't started fussing about the mess. "I just, ya know. I'm good either way. This was a lot for one night-"

"Are you nervous?" Blake carefully sat up, sliding off the blonde's body so she could fully turn and look at her partner. Keen amber eyes scanned her form, reading far too much into her body language, and it took effort for Yang not to roll her eyes. "You know we won't judge you, right?"

"You've been rather indulgent with both of us, Yang, and very patient." Weiss reached out, running her fingers through blonde bangs, damp with sweat. "Whatever it is on your mind, we can at least try."

"Seriously, Princess, Kitten, I'm _not_ nervous and I've got nothing on my mind." She smiled, reaching out to pull them closer, much like how they started this part of their night. With her girlfriends settling against her sides, Yang could feel a little more at peace with how awkward the situation was rapidly becoming. Or at least ignore it. That would work. "I'm totally fine!"

There was a moment of silence where she hoped they would just accept her suggestion and turn in for the night- maybe after a little more cuddling, because, yeah, she _really_ liked this part. But then Blake sat up again, ears tall and attentive as her gaze slid across the blonde's features again. That piercing gaze _promised_ that she wasn't convinced, and when Yang squirmed a little under the scrutiny, their girlfriend saw fit to join the Faunus in her examination.

"Yang. You've had sexual partners before, right?"

"Yeah," she replied, grinning slightly and fighting not to swallow hard at the clear intent shining in those amber eyes. Damnit, damnit, damnit- any other time, she'd praise her partner's tenacity, but right now, she wished her girlfriends would just let it go and curl up against her.

"How many of them actually touched you?"

Shit. Guess there was no getting things by Blake once she was sufficiently motivated. She really should've seen that coming. "Uh, all of 'em, Blakey. Kinda hard to have sex if you're _not_ touching, ya know?"

"Yang Xiao Long." Weiss chided, mirroring the Faunus' position and fixing the blonde with a pointed look. "You know _exactly_ what she means by that, now answer the question."

Once in a blue moon, Yang actually cursed having such broad shoulders. It made sinking back into the mattress _so_ much harder.

It wasn't like she wanted to _lie_ , of course not, and it wasn't that she thought either of them would hold it against her either... there were just certain things she didn't like owning up to, on occasion. But with two intense gazes glued to her, it was either bite the bullet or end the night on a sour note. The latter was out of the question, so... she really didn't have a choice at all.

"Uh... well... maybe half of them? I dunno." She looked away, shrugging slightly. One of the book stacks propping up her bed looked a little unstable; she'd have to fix that before climbing up again. As much as she enjoyed the rigged bunk bed arrangement, she didn't want it collapsing out of inattentiveness on her part. "But it's no big deal. Never bugged me."

Weiss' face scrunched up in confusion, looking to Blake for some sort of explanation. The Faunus, at least, seemed to understand. "Was that your choice or theirs?"

"I guess mine? It just wasn't really important to me, that's all." She shifted her attention again, looking at where their prizes from the night before sat, the cat and fox leaning against each other with the dragon curled around them. "Once they were finished, I was good. If I needed a little extra, I took care of myself. If they wanted to, I didn't object, but it wasn't something I pushed for- it's just whatever."

"I feel like I'm missing something," Weiss said, a hint of confusion beneath her concern, lithe fingers coming to rest on the blonde's cheek and gently coax her gaze back towards her girlfriends. Even if she was missing _what was really fucking obvious_ \- at least from Yang's point of view- the heiress was trying her hardest to be sweet and supportive, which was greatly appreciated even if the blonde was reluctant to find an alternate way to phrase it.

Thankfully, Blake was there to rescue her, even if it was blunt enough to make her wince. "Yang's the exact opposite of a pillow princess; she's always given but rarely received."

It wasn't like the blonde was ashamed of that. Taking care of the people around her was always important and she didn't think it was too odd that it would extend into her intimate encounters, too. However... it wasn't normal. Most people didn't react with a shrug if their partner fell asleep on them or didn't want to return the favor and they certainly didn't _encourage_ it. For Yang, though... it just never seemed to bother her. If they were tired or nervous or whatever, that was okay. She got just as turned on as her past partners but going beyond that... it just wasn't a priority and she could handle it herself once they were gone. Her satisfaction came from bringing them to release and she was good with that.

"I can't say I'm too surprised." The heiress muttered, pushing her hair behind her shoulders. Idly, Yang wondered if she might be able to talk Weiss into letting it down more often. The look made her seem softer and not as cold as the serious side she so often showed to the world, like right then when her gaze fell on the blonde, not a trace of her usual severity to be found. Their girlfriend would probably agree, if she weren't so busy leading this whole interrogation. "However... does that mean you don't... _want_ either of us?"

"That's- that's not it." She started to sit up but was held in place by Blake's hand on her shoulder, the pressure gentle but commanding. Yang's expression pinched into one of pleading, hoping beyond hope that she hadn't insulted either of her girlfriends in the process. That wasn't her intention by a long shot. "It's not about _wanting_ it's just... this was a lot to ask of both of you, so if you two don't want to-"

"But what if we do?" Blake cut in, amber eyes sparking as she seemed to hit on what she was seeking out. "What if _we_ want to, Yang?"

The blonde's mouth worked soundlessly for a moment. No one had ever asked her that- _told_ her that- before. They were mostly one night stands, quick flings to release pent up tension. Once her sexual partners found their release, they sometimes repaid the favor, but none ever seemed to be too concerned about her climax. _Wanting_... never came up, even with the ones that lasted more than a single night; she was either the one giving or it was a mutual exchange.

It never even occurred to _her_ until this moment.

"You... do?" She looked between blue and amber, seeing plain as day the spark of excitement building in her girlfriends. It was the same look they got when there was an opening for them to exploit in battle or an argument, a chance for them to gain ground in whatever pursuit had their attention.

Truthfully, she had no idea how to handle that.

They exchanged a glance, Blake quickly tilting her head and whispering something into the heiress' ear. Although the wicked little smile that initially overtook the smaller woman's expression was a bit concerning, the way their eyes started shining with mischievous glee as both gazes fell on her again promised that whatever lay ahead for her wasn't going to contain much for her to complain about.

"Yes." Weiss nodded, carefully moving until she hovered over Yang, one hand set on the blonde's chest while the other supported her weight. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, forming a curtain that was only rivaled by Blake's raven mane as she mirrored the heiress' position, both of them smiling down at Yang with absolute adoration shining in their eyes, barely concealing their mounting excitement. The two hands on her chest were placed over her heart and she felt like the traitorous organ was pounding like a bass drum, telling them _exactly_ how she felt about that sentiment. " _Of course_ we do. I can't count how many times I've thought about it."

"Neither can I," the Faunus said in that low, sultry voice. "Imagining you writhing, gasping out our names-"

"-flexing muscles, groaning in bliss-"

"-we've both dreamed about it." Blake chuckled, leaning down to pepper kisses along Yang's jaw while Weiss did the same on her brow, her girlfriends being mindful of the other as they lavished her with attention. "We both _want_ to see you receiving pleasure."

The heiress pressed a kiss to her temple before shifting lower, her shorter stature working against her slightly. The blonde's hips jumped as a gasp slipped out, wholly unprepared for the slim fingers that carded through the trimmed patch of blonde hair above her sex. "The question is: will you _let us_ give that to you?"

"It's your choice." Blake moved, capturing her lips in a soothing kiss while her fingers traced a gentle pattern just below her right breast. Yang felt her eyes slide close of their own volition and she sucked in a breath through her teeth the moment they parted, head tilting back at the delicious sensations so close to where she wanted them most. "We can stop right now and get ready for bed."

"We don't _have_ to do this..." Weiss added, pressing a kiss to the blonde's shoulder. "But by _dust_ do we want to, Yang."

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she wanted to complain about how this was more than a little unfair. Okay, so, unfair might not be the _best_ way to describe it, but, fuck, they were making it sound like _her_ climax was just as important to them as their own! Sure, that might be _her_ logic, but... wait... well, maybe they had a point?

Maybe that's what set sex as _girlfriends_ \- actually in a relationship with her partners- apart from one night stands or friends with benefits, that they cared enough to be completely invested in _her_ pleasure as well as their own. Like how Weiss opted to move onto Blake instead of insisting on receiving oral; there was a balance to their relationship that hadn't been present in any of her previous encounters.

Forcing her eyes open, she looked between her girlfriends. She could see in their eyes that they weren't entirely sated, that there was still desire burning in both of them. If what they wanted was to see her being pleasured... she couldn't deny them that, right? Wouldn't that make her a bad girlfriend?

Or was she just being selfish?

As a few moments ticked by without any response forthcoming, Yang watched as a sense of disappointment settled over her girlfriends, Weiss slowly withdrawing her hand while Blake's ears drooped ever so slightly.

"We didn't mean to push," the heiress said, smiling gently to cover up her own feelings.

"This _was_ a lot for our first night." The Faunus agreed, wearing a similar expression.

They were softly backpedaling, trying to be both supportive and apologetic for pushing her too far- which they hadn't, not by a long shot.

Meanwhile, the blonde began to internally panic. It wasn't about the prospect of losing a chance to actually be on the receiving end for a change, far from it- she didn't want to let her girlfriends down. Honestly, she had no qualms about them touching her. As long as they were getting some level of satisfaction from the exchange, then Yang had no problems with it at all!

But for some reason, the words wouldn't come. Like periodically throughout the day, the ability to speak was completely beyond her for some reason, and she couldn't figure out _why_. At least before she had some idea as to what prompted her sudden bout of incoherence; here and now, it was as if she'd simply forgotten what communication was!

 _Fuck_ did she have some awful timing!

Unable to get her mind and voice to cooperate, the blonde immediately defaulted to movement. At least _that_ reaction she never seemed to lose, her arms quickly wrapping around her girlfriends' waists and holding them tightly in place. Neither objected, quietly waiting for Yang to try and force _something_ out, but more time passed and she simply couldn't.

Why was it so hard for her to accept that someone _wanted_ her for a change? Much less _two_ someones! All she had to do was tell them to keep going! Two little words!

"Yang?" Blake frowned, glancing at Weiss for help and finding the woman just as lost as she was. Nevertheless, she pressed on, her voice soft. "Do you want to stop?"

"Just nod or shake your head, you oaf." The heiress leaned up, brushing her lips along the blonde's jaw, absolutely no bite in the moniker she used so often when irked. Instead, her voice was laced with affection, as though whatever reaction came would be accepted without question. "You don't have to say it if you'd rather not, or if you can't."

With only the barest hesitation, Yang shook her head.

No, _she_ didn't want to stop, and if _they_ didn't want to either... then there was nothing wrong with going a bit further.

"Great."

"Excellent."

The sheer relief in her girlfriends' voices should've been all the reassurance she needed that they were just as invested in continuing as she was, but there was still a voice nagging at her from the back of her mind. Even if she was the one receiving, this couldn't be about _her_.

"It seems you get to take your test after all," Blake said, settling firmly against the blonde's side and tracing nonsensical patterns across the toned flesh of her abs and along her ribs, earning a gasp of surprise from Yang. "Hopefully, you were paying attention during your lesson."

"Come now, Blake." Weiss scoffed, pressing herself against her other side, hand once again wandering through her pubic hair, coaxing her legs into spreading wider with faint touches that sent shivers down her spine. "When have you _ever_ known me to fail a test?"

"True, but you have to admit this one's special." The Faunus leaned in, tracing the shell of her ear with a wicked tongue, a smile evident in her voice. "But it _is_ open notes."

"I'll be sure to ask if anything comes to mind."

The lightheartedness of their banter was soothing, even if every touch was making her twitch and jump. Yang closed her eyes and leaned her head back, trying to be still to make things easier on Weiss. This would be her girlfriend's first time exploring someone else's body and she didn't want to make things any more difficult than they needed to be.

However, it was easier said than done as fingers that weren't hers slid further down, touching her core for the first time in... shit, it'd been a while. She really couldn't remember when she'd been in a similar position. Her body tensed, breath stuttering in her chest as the heiress carefully explored her sensitive folds. Their girlfriend, meanwhile, leaned over to get a better look, emitting a low chuckle.

" _Dust_ , Blake, she's soaked." Weiss let out in a breathless whisper, lazily dragging her digits back and forth. "Is this what we did to you, Yang?"

"Yes." She forced out, a pathetic little whimper that had her turning her head aside. That didn't last long, though, a strong hand on her jaw redirecting her gaze to meet burning amber orbs.

"Good. We do to you what you do to us." Blake leaned down, brushing their lips together in a ghost of a kiss. "We wouldn't have it any other way. Now lay back and relax. Let us take care of you."

And then they were kissing, the Faunus taking the lead. She put up no resistance, absolutely thrilled that her girlfriends seemed to be taking some sort of pleasure from the exchange. Tongues danced together, distracting her enough that she didn't feel when Blake moved her hand back down to lay on her breast, squeezing lightly. She moaned, the sound muffled as the kiss continued, though a second, longer one echoed the first as Weiss began stroking her clit, drawing slow, tight circles against the sensitive flesh. With her own hands still splayed across her girlfriend's sides, and them laying on her arms besides, there was little she could do but try not to grab them hard enough to bruise.

The position was doing wonders for her imagination, though, seeing as she couldn't be much of an active participant. In her head, she was picturing herself finger deep in both of her girlfriends, grinding the palms of her hands against them and drinking in their dueling moans of pleasure.

She was roughly pulled from that fantasy by a warm, wet tongue tracing circles around her left breast, Weiss proving that she was an excellent multi-tasker as her fingers never lost their tempo. Apparently, Blake had noticed as well, taking the change as some sort of challenge and focusing on rolling the stiff bud of her other nipple between her thumb and forefinger. The completely different sensations were _amazing_ , setting her chest heaving as another moan tore from her throat. Hey, she'd be among the first to admit her breasts were two of her best assets, but it never really occurred to her that they would be used against her like this!

Suddenly, the Faunus broke away, sliding down the blonde's body while leaving a litany of kisses in her wake until she arrived at her target, substituting her hand with her mouth. Yang groaned, eyes squeezing tight as her girlfriends suckled her breasts, lips and tongues and teeth teasing her flesh, neither ever matching the pace or technique of the other. All the while, Weiss continued drawing circles over her clit while Blake began raking her nails over the blonde's stomach, tracing the grooves of her muscles, crossing them, never hard enough to hurt but always enough to be felt.

"Weiss, Blake!" Speaking was going to be insanely difficult the longer this sweet, wonderful torture continued, but the blonde somehow found a way to force out her girlfriends' names, gasping for breath a moment later when she was rewarded by harsh sucking from both of them. There were _so_ many things she was learning she liked, and that definitely ranked pretty high on the list.

Gathering her strength, Yang forced her eyes open and looked down her own body, doing all she could to burn the sight into her memory- both of her girlfriends, eyes closed peacefully, mouths tightly wrapped around the flesh of her chest, each making soft little noises of pleasure in the back of their throats. _Dust_ , she never thought sex could be this good, a startled gasp escaping as she fought not to move her hands to their heads and keep them exactly where they were. Earlier it was okay, because that was just foreplay, but this was different. (Plus, they were still laying on her arms, so movement was pretty limited anyway. Ya know, without accidentally hurting someone in the process.)

The sound drew Blake's attention, ears flicking forward a moment before her eyes fluttered open, amber gaze burning hotter than before and meeting her own. Quickly, the Faunus reached out and nudged their girlfriend, Weiss' eyes opening to take note of the scene. When she looked up, though, everything came to a grinding halt for the blonde- _both_ of her girlfriends looking up at her through their lashes, still sucking at her breasts, one fingering her clit...

She threw her head back and groaned, hips jerking involuntarily as she sought more friction. Damnit, that was definitely going to be her go-to mental picture for fucking _months_. Not to mention the pleased little hums her girlfriends let out, the vibration passing through her skin making the whole thing all the better. They were _definitely_ getting a kick out of her reactions, out of being the cause of them, which was the best she could've hoped for at this point.

The whole experience was new and exciting and fucking wonderful. None of her previous partners had ever managed to bring her this level of pleasure (disregarding, of course, that she'd never had two at the same time before) but it was the _way_ Weiss and Blake were doing it that really drove the thought home. Working off each other, following any hint her traitorous body betrayed, adapting their approaches quickly; it was mind blowing.

Trying to take a big breath to center herself and focus, the blonde was thrown completely off as Weiss abandoned her clit completely, a whine starting in the back of her throat that she damn near choked on as a fingertip slipped inside of her. Out of sheer surprise, her legs jerked, thighs closing on the hand cupping her core even as her eyes shot open. She immediately regretted that reaction when both of her girlfriends disengaged with a wet pop, the cool air hitting her wet nipples barely a worthy replacement.

"Well... I must be doing something right... right?" The heiress looked to Yang, slight concern pinching her expression.

The blonde very much wanted to say that she _definitely_ was doing it right, but the power of speech had yet to return to her in full. At least, not without momentous effort that was currently just out of reach. Thankfully, Blake had her back, even as she spread her legs again to prevent any sort of misunderstanding.

"You're fine, Princess." The Faunus assured, a sly smirk on her lips as she made a show of licking them. "I think you just caught her off guard... but we can fix that."

"How?" Oh, look, she _did_ have a fucking voice, and what a brilliant addition to the conversation!

Damnit, she was going to smack herself tomorrow for this, she swore.

Any embarrassment about her own lack of communication skills was quickly dismissed, however, when the Faunus moved, straddling one muscled thigh before returning to lying on her side. It was only slightly uncomfortable, stretching the muscles of her groin a bit before they adjusted, and Weiss quickly copied the motion. With her legs effectively trapped much like her arms, the blonde found herself unable to move without potentially upsetting her girlfriends, swallowing harshly at how strange it felt. It had nothing to do with how exposed the position was, being held open like this- that part, she actually kinda liked- but she should be at least a bit alarmed at being restrained. Then, with a subtle shift of their hips, Yang could feel the slick proof of their previous activities sliding against her skin and any objection immediately died in her throat, banished from her mind by the sheer satisfaction she got from feeling them pressing against her.

Maybe she could talk them into grinding against her when they continued... they'd probably recovered enough to go again, right?

"There, that should do it." Blake muttered, a small smile on her lips.

"Yang? Is this alright?" Weiss looked between both girlfriends, a little of her anxiety shining through before she set it aside, concern plain in her voice. "This doesn't make you uncomfortable, does it?"

She shook her head, mustering her strength to speak, voice only slightly shaky and breathless. "D'ya think... you two... wanna go again?"

Her girlfriends blinked at her, exchanging another glance before Blake chuckled, reaching up to stroke her cheek fondly.

"Always so selfless." The Faunus shifted, making herself comfortable as she buried one hand in blonde locks and set the other on her breast. "But no."

"All _we_ want is to see you come," the heiress said, frowning briefly as she did her best to reach the nape of Yang's neck without removing her hand. To her pleasant surprise, this put Weiss' head at the same level as her breast, her tongue darting out to flick the stiff nipple. "Can you do that for us, Yang?"

With a whimper, the blonde nodded, eyes falling shut as two sets of fingers began toying with her hair, the fingertip still inside her wiggling a little. Her legs twitched again but, with them firmly clenched between her girlfriends' thighs, it did nothing to inhibit the heiress' movements as she slid deeper inside. While she had no doubt that Weiss was paying attention earlier, she hadn't expected the woman would be so thorough in copying the technique the blonde has used on Blake. A curious finger probed her, seeking out that special little spot, and that sure as hell was a new feeling. She _figured_ it would be nice, given how others had reacted, but damn, it was weird and great at the same time and she could get _really_ used to this.

When their girlfriend found what she was looking for, Yang let out a groan of satisfaction while the Faunus hummed.

Then they added their mouths to the mix of sensations, Weiss nipping and licking at her breast while Blake drew her into a heated kiss, tongue slipping inside her mouth at the same time as their girlfriend started up a rhythm, pumping her fingers in and out. For some reason the blonde couldn't fathom, though, the heiress wasn't hitting her g-spot on every thrust. No, it would come randomly, setting her hips jerking every time it hit and her inner muscles clenching madly when it didn't. Not as strong a reaction as the Faunus, of course, but that didn't seem to discourage the heiress. After a few minutes of reveling in their touch, the blonde finally put the pieces together.

Weiss wasn't hitting at random; she was intentionally using her dexterous precision, creating a sort of escalating rhythm to her thrusts. She'd hit on the sixth stroke, then the fifth, then the fourth, and so on, until she got down to striking that special spot relentlessly for a few strokes, then worked her way back up. By the time she caught on to the pattern, Weiss had gotten back down to the bottom of her rhythmic pyramid, adding a second finger that Yang greedily clamped down on, another moan tearing from her throat.

Of course, that just seemed to make everything fair game for her girlfriends, their efforts elsewhere redoubling. The heiress _somehow_ managed to tease the hairs at the back of her neck as a counterpoint to movements of her teeth and tongue, all the while never losing track of her rhythm. _How_ was she even doing that? Fuck, it didn't matter; it was wonderful. Blake, meanwhile, occasionally broke their kiss, giving her just enough chance to suck down a few badly needed lungfuls of air before diving back in, one hand tweaking her nipple roughly while the other gently carded through her blonde locks, nails lazily drawing patterns against her sensitive scalp.

Yang was almost at the point of sensory overload. The only thing she could think of- when she somehow managed enough brainpower to accomplish the task- that could possibly make it better was having the opportunity for her hands to roam over her girlfriends' skin. Feeling their slick cores pressing against her thighs was _amazing_ but the idea of mutually getting them off while they touched her... just the thought sent a shiver running through her body. For now, though, she couldn't complain about the amount of attention she was receiving, every nerve on fire as she was driven steadily more insane.

The next time Blake broke their kiss, she whined, the sound turning into a groan as Weiss withdrew her fingers and assaulted her clit with tight, hard circles. Her hips bucked at the change, prompting a moan from the heiress while their girlfriend chuckled, peppering kisses along the blonde's jaw. For a moment, she sincerely thought the Faunus was preparing to use one of those cheesy lines from her books (which, honestly, she could do whatever she wanted at that point and Yang wouldn't complain, as long as she didn't stop touching her) but instead started to purr.

In the short time her partner had openly allowed herself to do that, the blonde had quickly associated the sound and sensation with Blake feeling pleasure or at the very least contentment. Suddenly, the pleasure coursing through her body spiked, magnified by the idea that Blake was getting off on watching her come undone by their girlfriend's touch. Picking up on the change, Weiss began moaning into the flesh filling her mouth. Though muffled, Yang could make out the barest snatches of syllables, half formed words of praise and encouragement, just like when she was being driven mad herself earlier in the night. That connection sparked a similar reaction as the Faunus' purr, her hips rocking as her inner muscles tried to clamp down on something that wasn't there.

Thankfully, the heiress was a quick study, recognizing the cue and sliding back down to enter her, skipping the prelude as two fingers dove into her core. Even as she was moaning in gratitude, Blake reached out and made her own adjustments, moving so the heel of Weiss' hand was pressed against her clit even as she kept her pace.

She wasn't going to be able to last much longer at this rate and, while she had no desire to repeat dialogue from a romance novel or beg for her release, the blonde did want to at least warn her girlfriends that she was rapidly approaching her climax. However, with her communication skills still on the fritz, there was only so much she could do, forcing her to rely on Weiss reading her body.

But then Blake leaned over, that mischievous twinkle from earlier in her eyes, and whispered something that made the heiress falter for a brief moment, releasing the skin in her mouth to raise an eyebrow at the Faunus.

"You're sure?"

Okay, so, while her climax might not be a huge priority normally, _if they stopped now, she might seriously fucking implode_.

"Yes." Amber orbs slid to meet her gaze. "She's earned it."

When ice blue landed on her, Weiss' lips quirked up into a smile. "She most certainly has."

... well, she was either figuratively or literally fucked. At this point, she couldn't muster the brainpower to tell the difference, instead letting out a low whine and clenching her inner muscles.

Yang quickly realized that neither of her girlfriends were intending to leave her high and dry (or incredibly wet, as the case may be), going straight back to driving her insane. Both of them took her breasts into their mouths, once again using teeth and tongue to lavish her chest with attention. The hands on her head continued their tasks as well, stroking through her hair with utmost care, while Weiss' other hand rocked in and out of her, maintaining the pressure on her clit with the heel of her hand. The only one unaccounted for was Blake's other hand, which she felt a few moments later raking blunt nails across her abs. Add to that the way both of her girlfriends shifted their hips, as if reminding the blonde that they'd already reached their peaks, and it was a wonder she didn't immediately catch fire from the heat surging through her body.

On some unspoken signal, her girlfriends timed their ministrations with such synchronicity that Yang almost believed they'd fucking done this before, teeth teasing her nipples in time with hands stroking her _just right_ catapulting her over the edge. Unlike her girlfriends, though, Yang didn't scream out, her voice catching in her throat when she tried and turning into a protracted groan as her body tensed and eyes slammed shut. Although she'd tried to remind herself to be gentle, her arms flexed, drawing the bodies on either side of her closer, needing that proximity as badly as she needed air in her heaving chest.

As the moment of her orgasm passed, she released a pleased sigh of relief, body relaxing even as the aftershocks passed through her body, eased down by Weiss and Blake in tandem... until suddenly they weren't easing her down.

 _At all_.

In startled surprise, she snapped her eyes open and looked down, clear confusion written in her expression. The sight that met her was... yeah, words couldn't describe it. No words that came to her mind, at least- language as a concept completely blanking out the moment she made eye contact with both of her girlfriends, who were looking back at her with a clear challenge in their eyes even as they started stoking the fire within her all over again.

No, no, she- she hadn't agreed to this! This wasn't fair!

Any objection she tried to voice, however, morphed into a moan of pleasure as one girlfriend or the other took the opportunity to send her admittedly limited attention skittering elsewhere- a harsh suckle or teasing nip, nails digging in hard enough to leave red lines. In no time at all, a second climax was building within her and there was nothing she could do to stop or even slow it down, her gaze glued to the two sets of eyes watching her.

It was as if they were daring her not to come- or, rather, promising they wouldn't be satisfied until she climaxed again. It wasn't fair, wasn't right, because this was supposed to be about _them_ , but there was nothing she could do as her second orgasm broke over her all too quickly, the waves engulfing her to the point she temporarily lost track of what her body was doing. Her vision turned white, blood rushing in her ears barely covering what must've been her own strangled moan of pleasure alongside two pleased little hums.

When she finally regained awareness of her body, whatever tension might've existed had fled entirely. Her legs were no longer being restrained, despite the hand still cupping her core, and both of her girlfriends were affectionately cuddling into her sides. Blake was nuzzling her neck, quietly purring while idly stroking a hand over her stomach, and Weiss was placing butterfly kisses on whatever skin was within reach. The hands in her hair were completely still, which she found odd right up until the Faunus noticed she'd opened her eyes.

"Welcome back," she said with a smile, leaning in for a kiss which the blonde happily returned, even if it was a bit sloppy.

She was utterly exhausted from her back-to-back releases, motivated to stay awake only by having her girlfriends so close. The moment Blake pulled back from the kiss, Weiss was there to give hers, giggling slightly as Yang barely managed any of her usual skill.

"Please don't be upset with us." The heiress softly pleaded when they parted, the fingers at the nape of her neck stroking short little patterns. "We both felt you deserved some extra attention."

"And so much more, but that's a start." Blake supplied, chuckling softly as she pressed a soft kiss to her collarbone. "We won't surprise you like that again."

"We promise."

"Better not," she replied with a tired slur, sucking in a deep breath and releasing it. While Yang wasn't _mad_ about the whole thing, she did feel a little guilty, so she tried her hardest to push the faint tingling in her body away from her mind. "Give me a minute and I can-"

"No." The Faunus shook her head, lightly dragging her fingers through blonde locks. "This was enough for tonight. Really."

"Well, we're not quite finished." Weiss gently reminded them, carefully drawing her fingers out of her core. The motion only made her wince slightly, her muscles involuntarily twitching in an effort to maintain the contact. The blonde's eyes widened, surprised to see a fair amount of translucent liquid covering her girlfriend's hand, a testament to how badly she'd needed that release. "Unless you _don't_ want-"

Blake didn't allow her to finish that sentence, quickly leaning over to take the offered digits into her mouth. Her ears perked the moment she did so, lazily falling as she hummed pleasantly and dutifully cleaned off the mess coating the heiress' hand.

Yang watched with dumbfounded awe. While she probably couldn't entertain the thought of another round so soon, watching one girlfriend react positively to her essence while the other bit her lip to stifle a moan... well, it was encouraging, to say the least. When the Faunus drew back, licking her lips with a satisfied smirk, the blonde almost couldn't contain herself. So many things were racing through her mind, it was difficult to put a name to all of them, but the vast majority were positive- a wealth of warm affection, a twinge of pride, more happiness than she could remember feeling in a long, long time. Whatever this was, whatever they just did together, it wasn't sex. At least, not in the blonde's experience; it was just so much... _more_. She didn't have the words to explain it but the emotions coursing through her at that moment were never present before. This was... special.

Her vision got a little blurry all of a sudden- probably from her two orgasms- so she blinked to clear it, lips pulling into a wide, bright smile as her girlfriends turned their attention back to her.

"Yang?" Weiss furrowed her brows, worry evident in her features. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Her voice was a little thick for some reason, so she swallowed and tried again with a chuckle. "I'm fine."

"You're crying." Blake observed, lowering her voice slightly as she continued. "You've never received oral sex, have you?"

Damnit, that was the second time in as many days she'd started bawling for no damn reason _and hadn't fucking noticed_. What the hell!?

In her mind, she could rationalize it. There wasn't a hint of sadness in her, nothing that would actually be considered something 'wrong'; it went back to the whole intimacy thing from before, when she'd gotten her first taste of the heiress. While there was a partner or two she might've considered going that far with... none of them were too keen on it and she didn't push. Seeing Blake enjoy her taste, being fed by their girlfriend... maybe this really _was_ too good to be true? Did she actually pass out at the carnival and this whole thing was just a very detailed dream?

"Well, uh, no, guess not." She shrugged, trying to move her arms to wipe away the evidence of her tears. However, seeing as neither of her girlfriends were keen on leaving her side, thus keeping her arms pinned, they took it upon themselves to clean her up, literally kissing her tears away even as more slipped out.

"I'll admit I'm a little selfish." Weiss murmured, pressing a kiss just beneath her ear. "I'm somewhat glad your previous partners were so awfully stingy with their affections. That just means... _we_ get to share the experience with you."

"We'll make up for all the times you should've gotten what you deserved." Blake promised, nuzzling into her cheek. "You'll never doubt how much we care about you."

She let out a whimper even as her lips curled into an even bigger smile, using her arms to pull them tighter against her. Skin to skin, not because of any lascivious inclination but because she just _needed_ the physical confirmation that this was real. How had she gotten _this_ lucky? Not only getting to meet two wonderful people, but to fall so hard for them and have both of them do the same in return? To have this level of... what was the word? Reciprocity, that's it. Seriously, what did she do _so_ right?

Blake chuckled, apparently amused by her display while pressing a soft kiss to her jaw.

"I think we've sufficiently met our goal for today." When both of her girlfriends raised a brow, the heiress rolled her eyes. "Are we not 'super happy'?" With a slight huff that had the hint of a smirk around the edges of it, Weiss settled down against Yang's side, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder while taking the Faunus' hand in hers, much like they'd been at the start of their day. "I certainly am."

With a warmth lighting up her amber eyes, Blake mirrored their girlfriend's position, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, me too."

Sighing in contentment, Yang allowed her eyes to close, soaking in the moment. She had two of the most important people in her life pressed against her, completely relaxed. If they fell asleep just like this... yeah, definitely the best day ever. Period. Bar none. Forget all the little annoyances throughout the day, the rough patches and the sour moments, it was _all_ worth it. 'Super happy' was putting it mildly. "I love you both so much."

...

Welp.

That just happened.

She just fucking said that, out loud, because, apparently, her ability to speak returning somehow destroyed any amount of sense she had remaining.

Awesome.

 _Fuck_.

Internally, she groaned as both of her girlfriends tensed up, wishing she could crawl into a hole real quick and pretend those words never left her mouth. It wasn't that they weren't _true_ or just an after effect of her climax; simply put, it was _way_ too early to be dropping the 'L' bomb, regardless if she fully meant what she said (which, to be clear, she absolutely did). Sure, they'd wound up in bed on day one, but this should've definitely waited.

Crap.

Shit damn fuck, she _really_ needed to figure out what happened to the speech part of her brain and why it decided to take a vacation on her. And then kick its ass for abandoning her at such a crucial moment.

"Yang Xiao Long," the heiress said, pushing herself up enough for their gazes to meet. Her tone was firm but, just right around the edges, the blonde could hear the faintest traces of a warble, as if the smaller woman was on the edge of becoming extremely emotional. Nothing in her face betrayed which emotion was taking hold, though, except a terrifying amount of vulnerability in those ice blue eyes. "Do you... mean that?"

She didn't hesitate.

"Yes." A sigh passed through her lips, more out of frustration with herself for doing the one thing both of her girlfriends asked her _not_ to do than anything else. Still, she made sure to look Weiss dead in the eye as she spoke, only allowing her gaze to deviate when Blake sat up a bit, amber eyes watching her just as intently. "I know it's probably too soon to say that... but it's not a phrase I use lightly. I mean it. Not the same way I love Ruby... but just as strong." She flexed her arms again, hugging them as tightly as she dared. "I love you, Weiss, and I love you, Blake."

There was a moment where she _swore_ her girlfriends didn't breathe, eyes wide as they processed what she'd said. When it passed, she could see the unspoken war raging within both of them, a struggle to voice their own feelings or an admonishment against her for putting them in that position- that part, she couldn't tell.

Yang opted to put the issue to bed herself. "You don't have to say it if you'd rather not, or if you can't." Her lips tugged into a smirk at the spark of recognition in their eyes. There was an unspoken 'yet' at the end of her sentence, a hope that while her girlfriends might not be willing or able to return the sentiment at present but that there was at least a chance for that to happen later down the line. "Like I said, I know it's probably too soon. Take your time, 'cause I'm not going anywhere, okay?"

Lightly, her fingers stroked across their skin, a reassuring touch as opposed to trying to excite them or remind them of what they'd just done. They were Huntresses; of course physical activity would be easier to deal with than emotional processing. In that department, they were pretty much still kids, and all three of them had a bit of baggage to deal with anyway, not to mention the unorthodox relationship piling even more uncertainties on top of it.

Ultimately, there was no reason to rush them; she _really_ did plan on sticking around for a good, long while.

Both of her girlfriends relaxed slowly as relief washed over them. There was a hint of guilt lingering in their expressions- and that was her fault for jumping the gun, seriously, they only asked her to do _one_ thing!- but they settled back against her in short order, Blake nuzzling a little firmer into her shoulder while Weiss... well, the blonde didn't call attention to the drops of wetness falling onto her skin, merely stroking the heiress' back soothingly. Even the Faunus was providing what comfort she could offer, given their positions, a light purr starting up that eased all of them back into the pleasant afterglow of their... lovemaking.

That's what they just did, right? It wasn't sex- at least, it didn't feel like sex. In her experience, sex was just seeking physical release without worrying about anything emotional. Sure, she liked cuddling, but even that usually had a limit or required a bit of cajoling on her part. But this? _Totally_ different.

Her eyes slipped closed as she drew in a deep breath, releasing it slowly. As tired as she was and as content as she felt, falling asleep was the most tempting thing on the planet, but Ruby would be back soon and she _definitely_ didn't want her little sister walking in on the three of them like this. More for Weiss' and Blake's sakes than her own, although that would be embarrassing in its own right.

As long as she kept that in mind, she wouldn't be... falling into dreamland... any time... soon...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have no idea where this interpretation of Yang's character came from, but once I started writing it, I couldn't change it. *shrug* I'm just glad that part's over. Back to fluff 'n' stuff.


	11. Arrangements

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No more smut. Just fluff. Promise.

Three loud bangs on the door had her jumping, startled awake by the noise and instinctively trying to shield her girlfriends from whatever threat was about to enter the room. Of course, Weiss and Blake were just as keen to discourage any intruders, the Faunus' ears laying flat against her skull as her lips pulled back in a fierce snarl while the heiress vehemently glared at the door.

"Hey, team!" Ruby's voice sounded _far_ too cheery, as if she was still riding a sugar high that wasn't going to end anytime soon. "Just letting you guys know we're back from the carnival! I'm going to hang out with Penny and Team JNPR in their room for a little bit! Is everything okay?"

Whatever agitation she might've felt towards her little sister for the rude wake-up call (seriously, the _whistle_ was less panic inducing!) quickly died when she became acutely aware of the cool air hitting her naked body, realizing she'd fallen asleep despite her attempts to remain awake. Heck, all _three_ of them had, judging by the looks of things.

Crap, she was on a roll with these bad decisions tonight.

"You woke your sister up but, aside from that, we're fine!" Weiss huffed, her voice not nearly as severe as her words implied. " _Try_ to be more considerate in the future!"

"Sorry! Hope you're feeling better, Yang!" Their team leader called through the door, not sounding the least bit chastised.

The blonde grunted in acknowledgement, hoping that would be enough to keep up her 'sick' charade.

When they heard the door across the hall close, the trio roused themselves fully, stretching as they sat up.

"I'll be sure to clarify that she did the right thing later." The heiress muttered, stifling a yawn with one hand. "That... could've ended poorly, otherwise."

Blake chuckled, glancing back down at the sheets as if she was contemplating returning to sleep. "We should probably turn in for the night."

"It _is_ rather late." Weiss glanced at a clock, a small frown on her lips. "Yang? Can you put the mattresses back?"

"Hm? Yeah, sure." She mumbled, pushing herself to her feet.

Although she tried to keep the surliness out of her voice, she wasn't exactly happy about not being able to wake up in the morning next to her girlfriends. Sure, she wasn't about to kick Ruby out of the room and she sure as hell didn't want her little sister exposed to the aftermath of their lovemaking, but... well, she _really_ wanted to know what they looked like first thing in the morning, from up close. Living together, she got her chances to sneak peeks at both of them from far away, but that was totally different from them being _right there_ when she opened her eyes. Plus, the cuddling was over, and she _really_ wanted to go back to that. She fell asleep so quickly earlier, she didn't have a chance to properly savor the experience.

Among the clothes tossed all over the room, she located the bare essentials- underwear, shorts, shirt- and threw them on, giving her girlfriends time to get up themselves. Honestly, she planned on grabbing a shower before changing into her night clothes, but at least this way she was decent if anyone were to enter.

As the heiress and Faunus followed suit, Yang easily moved the mattresses back to their proper places, all the while mentally berating herself for being so petty. After everything that happened in the past two days, she really didn't have room to complain about anything. It wasn't like this was their last night before a big mission or something- she just needed to plan something out so they could fully enjoy their time alone.

Maybe she could get a job somewhere in town, make a little extra scratch to rent a hotel room for a night. Would that be insulting? It made sense to her but Weiss might not be up for something potentially scandalous; if anyone found out she was renting a room in Vale for no apparent reason, it might get people curious. That wouldn't do.

Okay, so, maybe she could work something out with Ruby? With Jaune and Pyrrha in on the secret, she could implore all three of them to stay out super late one night? And take Ren and Nora with them... maybe even let her sister have a sleepover in their room. Ah, but that might be a bit rude to Ruby; this _was_ her room, too, so kicking her out didn't seem very fair. Unless they did, like, a rotation with Ruby inviting Penny over, not that she expected them to progress as quickly as Yang had with Blake and Weiss. That might balance things out.

Or... would it be possible to get an apartment off the school grounds? That might get expensive but she could probably make it work, if she got some help looking at the numbers. As a side effect of being a whiz mechanic, Ruby had a pretty good head for figures, so maybe they could look around a bit and find a decent place that's relatively cheap. Would probably wipe her out, working and going to school, but for uninterrupted cuddles in her off time? Yeah, she could deal with that. No sweat! Maybe she could talk Blake into helping her scout around town for a decent place. They'd be a lot more lowkey running around as a pair than a trio, and Weiss would probably be easily recognizable. They could probably come up with a disguise or something for her, though, if she really wanted to go, too. That'd probably be better, actually, because of the three of them, the heiress probably had the highest standards for living arrangements, even if it was only a temporary dwelling.

"Yang... what are you doing?"

Blinking, the blonde turned her head to notice the raised brow Weiss was giving her. At present, she was kneeling in front of the heiress' bed, hands smoothing out the comforter of any wrinkles like she'd seen the shorter woman do countless times. Behind her, Blake's bed was already back in place and made as well, the pillow resting atop the made sheets. Huh. She didn't even notice she'd done that.

"Uh, making your bed?" She offered with a grin.

"Yes, well, you _finished_ making it about two minutes ago." Blue eyes softened as Weiss stepped closer. Wearing her outfit from before, sans bolero and shoes, it struck Yang that, yeah, she should _definitely_ try convincing the woman to wear her hair down more often. She looked pretty fucking adorable at present. "Is something on your mind?"

Before she could formulate a response, Blake touched her shoulder, amber eyes shining with concern. "You looked upset when you were moving the mattresses and just now, you were smiling." Her ears tilted forward. "Would you like to share?"

For a moment, she looked between them. Aw, screw it; after everything else she'd said so far today, this would probably rank pretty low on the list for getting her in trouble. "What would you two think about getting an apartment off campus?"

They both blinked at her.

" _Dust_ , you move fast." The heiress muttered, coughing into her hand as a blush suffused her cheeks.

"Yang, why are you thinking about getting an apartment?" The Faunus opted to ignore their girlfriend's addition, a small frown forming on her lips. "I understand getting time alone is going to be... a little difficult here-"

"It's not about sex," she said, turning around so she could sit down and lean back against Weiss' bunk. "I was just thinking, ya know, it'd be nice to wake up together and be able to cuddle without interruptions, kiss _whenever_ we want. But we can't do that here without kicking Ruby out of her bed or out of the room every couple weeks." She pointedly ignored the slightly skeptical looks her girlfriends were giving us at that approximation. "I thought about just getting a hotel room, but if anyone recognizes us, that could be even worse! People will jump to conclusions just because it's a hotel, right?" She nodded, liking the idea the more she thought about it. "An apartment, though, I can explain that. Tell my Dad I want to stay here in Vale after school's over and my team can come and go whenever. I'm sure no one would think twice about why Ruby might not visit as often; we've lived together all our lives, after all. Some space is good, yeah? But you two could just say you like taking a break from school work stress."

"Setting aside your heartwarming reasoning for even entertaining this conversation, have you considered the real world consequences?" The heiress came over and sat down next to her, leaning into her shoulder lightly. "Apartments come with rent, Yang, and utilities."

"My Dad sends me some money every few weeks and I can get a job in town." She shrugged slightly, careful not to jostle the woman beside her even as their girlfriend joined them. "I'll make ends meet."

"A job on top of your school work?" Blake sighed, shaking her head slightly. "That's going to be difficult. Besides, I think you're underestimating how much rent is going to cost. Not many entry level jobs pay well enough for an apartment, except in the... well, more run down side of town."

Her expression fell. Honestly, if it was just for her, she wouldn't mind getting a little run down place in a bad neighborhood. She had two fists and _plenty_ of experience putting knuckleheads in their place; she definitely wasn't intimidated. However, while Blake and Weiss were formidable opponents in their own right, she wasn't about to let them be put in a similar situation. _No one_ was going to even think about laying a hand on them, if she had anything to say about it.

"Well..." She dropped her gaze to her lap, actually thinking through her words before they left her mouth. What she was thinking made her gut clench with anxiety but... not badly enough to discourage her. The delay didn't change anything, her stubborn determination beginning to sink in as her lips pulled into a firm line. "Then I'll sell Bumblebee. That should give me a decent amount of padding, at least for the first few months."

"What?"

"Ex _cuse_ you?"

Her shoulders jumped; while she fully expected the surprised reactions from her girlfriends, she hadn't imagined they'd practically shout in her ears.

"Yang, we're talking about your bike, right?" Blake glanced away, her gaze falling on the yellow helmet set just to the side of the blonde's boots. "The one that you absolutely adore, work on and ride every opportunity you get?"

"Yeah. C'mon, there's only _one_ Bumblebee, Blakey." She winked, expression falling just a little as she sighed. There was no point in trying to pretend otherwise, so she just owned up to what they likely already suspected. "I'm going to miss riding her, sure, but it's not like I can fit all three of us on her right now, anyway. And I can always get another bike-"

"But it won't be Bumblebee. There's only one, remember?" The Faunus sighed, eyes narrowing slightly as she mentally debated her next course of action. "I'll get a job, too. Three sources of income should be enough to get something small, down by the docks."

The blonde frowned. The docks were alright but, really, she'd want some place a bit better for her girlfriends. It wasn't a rough neighborhood by any means but it wasn't what they deserved. "I should be able to get at least a few grand from selling Bumblebee, though. Maybe that would at least put us in the clear for something a little closer to the town square, right?"

Apparently fed up with the conversation, Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed. "Yang, you are _not_ selling your bike and _neither_ of you are getting a job."

"Uh, it's _my_ bike, so I really can." Okay, she expected a little reluctance from both of them, but at least Blake was already on board! Why did their girlfriend insist on being the difficult one? "It's not that-"

"Let me rephrase." The heiress snapped her gaze up, blue eyes boring into lilac and briefly deviating to amber. "You are _not_ going to sell your bike and scrape by, the two of you overexerting yourselves, while you're both dating me, _the heiress to one of the most profitable companies in all of Remnant_." Rolling her eyes, Weiss huffed and crossed her arms. "While I appreciate that you didn't automatically assume I'd be able to foot the bill, did you honestly expect I wouldn't lift a finger to finance something that's going to benefit all of us? Better yet, that I would stand by while you two ran yourselves ragged without _doing_ something about it?"

... Actually, she'd conveniently forgotten that Weiss' family was loaded. For some reason. Weird. "Uh, but, your Dad-"

The heiress immediately waved her off, crawling over to her bolero to retrieve her scroll. Which... was really fun to watch, from where the blonde was sitting, although Blake lightly tugged on her ear in a light admonishment for staring a bit too long. The frown she shot her partner quite clearly conveyed her annoyance with the hypocrisy, seeing as those amber eyes were admiring the view just as much as she was hardly a second ago.

With her scroll in hand, Weiss began typing out a message, staring intently at the screen. "My father isn't the only means of access to funds I have available. As long as I phrase it just right, I'm confident Winter will lend her assistance."

"Winter?" Yang raised a brow, looking at the Faunus beside her for some sort of clarification.

"Her sister."

"Oh, right."

Amber eyes turned to focus on their girlfriend, her ears flicking slightly. "Weiss, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Yeah, you didn't look too thrilled about introducing us to her this morning." The blonde frowned, trying to work out a way to pull the heiress closer without moving away from Blake. Thankfully, Weiss was slowly making her way back to them, still focusing resolutely on her scroll. "What if she gets curious and drops by out of the blue?"

As the smaller woman settled against her side once more, blue eyes scanned her message, no reply forthcoming until it was already sent. Well, no turning back now, it seemed. "It's... a bridge we'll eventually cross, right?" Her gaze shifted, darting between her girlfriends. "At some point, we'll be introduced to your father and uncle?"

"Well, yeah." Yang nodded, lips tugging into a smile as she imagined how her father would react. He'd probably get a kick out of it, honestly, though she wouldn't admit that to her lovers quite yet. It seemed there was a bit of a family tradition for the Xiao Longs... she kinda hoped Ruby dodged that bullet. "My Dad's awesome! You two'll love him, promise, and he'll love meeting you two. My uncle... well, he takes some getting used to for most people, but he's a great guy. Always looked out for Rubes and I when we were growing up."

Weiss nodded, sighing as she slumped back. "Winter is... the best big sister I could ask for, really. But she's strict and severe- in a good way! She always encourages me to become better, to sharpen my skills and my mind." With a small chuckle, the white haired woman shook her head. "Quite frankly, I prefer to live up to her expectations than my father's, but they're no less daunting."

"Then is this really worth the risk?" Blake's ears twitched, reaching out to gently stroke the heiress' arm. "Maybe it would be better if you only introduced Yang-"

"No, absolutely not." The smaller woman shook her head, determination shining in her eyes. "I've already said it once; I'm not ashamed of either of you. If Winter doesn't approve..." The heiress faltered, briefly, before steeling herself once again. "Then, that's that."

Now, Weiss could be _amazingly_ stubborn from time to time, something Yang actually admired more often than not, but even that stubborn pride had a limit. The blonde could see the subtle tremor in her girlfriend's shoulders at the possibility of facing her sister's rejection, heart clenching painfully as she wrapped both arms around the smaller woman reassuringly. Blake quickly shifted so she could hold Weiss, too, pressing a soft kiss to her pale neck.

"We're all too tired for this conversation," the Faunus said softly, gaze shifting between her girlfriends. "We should talk about this tomorrow."

"Yeah, you're right, Blakey." She nodded, giving the heiress one last squeeze before allowing her embrace to loosen. "We should probably just grab showers and head to bed."

Weiss nodded, getting to her feet first and gathering her shower supplies. Although her silence worried her girlfriends slightly, she gave them both a small, genuine smile before slipping out the door.

The blonde let out a deep sigh, leaning her head back slightly. Geez, if someone told her this was how things were going to play out back when she started crushing on her teammates, she probably would've kicked their ass for making fun of her. But... well, here they were, huh? Already at least entertaining the idea of having somewhere private to call their own, away from prying eyes. She needed to work extra hard to make sure things didn't fall apart before they could really get going, though; her slip ups tonight were probably going to come back and bite her in the ass, so she'd need to figure out some way of dealing with that when it eventually happened.

She needed to get better at that, at pulling herself back before recklessly crashing headlong into things. For _their_ sakes.

"Yang?" Blake raised a brow, her ears once again hidden by the black bow as she gathered her shower supplies into her arms. "Aren't you coming?"

She chuckled, shaking her head. "Come on, Kitten; when was the last time I showered at the same time as either of you?"

That answer was obvious. Before the events of the past two days, she'd avoided showering with either of her crushes to keep from accidentally outing herself. Again, she was usually pretty good about not staring... but she only had so much self control, and that was pushing its limits pretty fucking hard. Now, though, it was just a matter of common sense. Yeah, she might have a pretty good handle on herself most of the time, but putting herself in the same room as both her girlfriends while they were naked and wet from the shower? Not even _she_ would claim to have enough self control not to do something potentially stupid, forget the whole 'communal shower' thing.

Although the Faunus nodded, a sly smirk appeared on her lips as she started for the door. "That's a shame. Weiss usually sings in the shower. I think I'll join her tonight."

She couldn't help arching a blonde brow at that. "In singing?"

Just before opening the door, Blake threw a teasing look over her shoulder. "Maybe... maybe not."

And then she was gone and the blonde was squirming. Damnit. Okay, she'd heard Weiss' singing voice, but only through recordings. Never _in person_. And she didn't know Blake sang; her partner had never done so before. But now, apparently, they were going to have a shower duet of some sort... or do something _way_ hotter, which was honestly the less appealing of the two options at present because she was still a bit tired. Sure, fun shower sexy times were definitely on her list of things of things to explore at some point, but... she _really_ wanted to hear them sing. All she had to do was keep her hands to herself and stay in her stall- and make sure Blake stayed in hers. It wasn't _that_ hard. In theory.

Shooting to her feet, the blonde quickly retrieved her own shower supplies, all the while grumbling about how her girlfriends were evil, teasing seductresses and she absolutely adored them for it.

Fuck, Blake better not end up regretting this.

* * *

An hour later, the trio were back in their room, attending to their last minute preparations before turning in, each sporting their own pleased little smiles. Weiss was sitting on her bed, running her brush through silky white strands and humming softly to herself while Blake was curled up on hers, book in hand as her ears occasionally flicked, dislodging the last vestiges of water from them.

Yang, meanwhile, was sitting backwards on the chair in the corner of the room, arms folded atop the chair's back as she looked between her two girlfriends. It was silly, how something so simple could be so amazing, but there was nothing she could really compare to the peaceful tranquility of just watching the two go about their usual routine. It almost made it easy to believe that there wasn't anything out there that could break it- no Grimm, no White Fang, no infuriating criminals, no homework, no disproving families. Nothing. And maybe it was just her, but they seemed even happier than the night before, their lips lifted into subtle smiles that wouldn't be noticed at first glance.

"Not that we aren't flattered..." Blake drawled, amber eyes glancing away from her book to meet her partner's lilac gaze. "But are you going to just sit over there and stare at us for the rest of the night?"

"Is that an option?"

"It most certainly is not." Weiss huffed, setting her brush aside. "I seem to recall tomorrow being designated as a study day, and there are quite a few topics I'd like to cover to ensure we maintain ahead of our schoolwork."

Well, she had to hand it to the heiress. She just proved that homework, in fact, _could_ break the mood.

Groaning, the blonde grabbed the towel thrown around her shoulders and started tousling her hair to dry it, a frown on her lips. "Ugh, fine, I'll get ready for bed, too."

"Oh, don't pout over it, you oaf." The smaller woman rolled her eyes, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Maintaining ahead of our studies is the best way to ensure our free time can be devoted to... _our_ interests."

"She has a point." Blake nodded, glancing up from her page briefly. "The quicker we finish our usual studying, the more time we'll have for cuddling."

Oh, that was _evil_. She'd definitely given her girlfriends the equivalent of magic bullets in regards to anything they asked of her; all they had to do was dangle cuddling in front of her as a reward, and she wouldn't be able to stop herself. Damnit... that probably wasn't a bad thing but she still didn't enjoy the prospect of giving up her view for the sake of tomorrow's promised studying.

Ah, well.

With her sour expression still in place through sheer force of will, Yang made to get up, only to be startled back into sitting down as the door burst open and Ruby dashed inside, slamming it shut the moment she could and leaning back against it. A flurry of rose petals fluttered to the ground around her feet, a testament to the extreme speeds she'd achieved to return to the room. The very peculiar shade of beet red- perhaps even a few shades brighter than her customary cape- had her team watching her curiously as she caught her breath.

"Uh... Rubes? You okay?" The blonde raised a brow, lips quirking into a smile at the sheer surprise evident in her sister's expression.

"Oh, uh, h-hey guys!" Still leaning back against the door, Ruby swallowed thickly and gave a weak smile. "I- I thought, ya know, you'd all be asleep?"

"Well, with a subtle entrance like that, it's a wonder we noticed at all." The Faunus sarcastically answered, ears tilted forward.

"Ruby Rose, what on Remnant is the matter with you?" Weiss set her balled up fists on her hips, leveling a suspicious look at their team leader.

There were a few moments where the younger woman looked like she was going to faint dead away. When she did finally answer, the words flew so quickly from her mouth it was a wonder anyone could understand her at all.

"ItwasmydecisionwhentokissokayminenotanyoneelsesanditwasgoodsososogoodsopleaseletsnottalkaboutitkaythanksIneedashowerbye."

In the blink of an eye, a flash of red raced around the room, collecting up the younger woman's showering supplies and slamming the door shut again as Ruby made her escape, more petals lightly covering the floor.

The blonde let out a low whistle, blinking a few times before a smile overtook her lips.

"Yang Xiao Long, if you even _think_ of teasing her when she gets back, there'll be no cuddling for _a week_."

"What!"

"She _still_ holds veto power on our kissing privileges." Blake pointed out, seemingly allied with the heiress against her.

Rolling her eyes, Yang got up, pulling away her towel so she could run a brush through her wild mane a few times to try and tame it. Her hair was _awesome_ , but she swore it somehow doubled in volume every time water touched it.

"I was just curious! For science!"

The Faunus raised a skeptical brow. "Comparing kissing techniques with your _younger_ sister?"

"Nah, not at all!" She laughed, opting to at least get _some_ mileage out of Ruby's revelation. "It's just, ya know, Penny's a robot."

"I believe the technical term is 'android'." Weiss pointed out, equally dubious as to where she was going with this particular line of conversation.

"Right, but that still means there's some sort of circuits involved, and circuits run on electricity."

"No, actually, I don't think circuits run _on_ electricity; they simply carry electrons." Weiss made another correction, but Blake's ears were standing tall as she braced herself.

"I don't think she's-"

Retrieving her brush, the blonde brushed off the correction and rolled on ahead despite her partner's attempt at a warning. "Look, I was just going to ask if it was _shocking_ in any way. I'm sure it was an _illuminating_ experience but I wouldn't know, so asking the _power source_ seems like the best-" She cut off abruptly as Blake's pillow hit her face, presumably Weiss' pillow hitting the back of her head half a second later. Although the sudden attack had her laughing, she tried to contain it enough to put on an affronted air. She was only marginally successful. "Hey! I thought I had two days' worth of puns?"

The Faunus glowered at her, though there was an abundance of amusement hidden just behind her amber eyes. "Number one, that technically only applied to _Weiss_ not complaining. Secondly, we didn't complain, we simply retaliated, so your argument is invalid."

"Is this a preview of the next two days?" The heiress huffed, trying very hard to act more upset than she actually was. "I admit my jokes might not be quite to the Xiao Long standard, but _power source_? That one was a stretch."

"I think it worked." With a shrug, she leisurely tossed the pillows back to their respective owners, waiting until they were both settled again before continuing. "Maybe you two should talk to Penny about finding a better _outlet_ for your jealousy over my mad comedic talent."

"Dust _damnit_ Yang."

Deciding she'd teased her girlfriends enough for the moment, the blonde returned her attention to her hair, mulling over how she really felt about Ruby's revelation. All in all, it wasn't _that_ big a deal, really. It was just a kiss. She doubted her little sister would even _want_ to go further than that any time soon and she herself had her first kiss at a much younger age. Plus, Penny was alright, as far as androids went. Not that she knew a whole bunch but, well, it didn't matter.

As long as the two were happy and not going any farther, there was nothing wrong with a little innocent affection.

Speaking of which...

With a smirk on her lips, she finished up tending to her hair and quickly went over to Weiss' bed, sitting down beside the heiress, waiting for those blue eyes to turn to her before speaking.

"It'd probably make things easier on Rubes if we pretended to be asleep by the time she got back," she said, raising a hand to tenderly cup the smaller woman's face and leaning in for a slow, sweet kiss on her lips. "Good night, Princess."

"Good night, Yang." Weiss murmured back, wearing a dreamy little smile as the blonde got up and padded over to their girlfriend's bed.

Blake's ears were perked up, amber eyes watching her every movement as she approached, clearly anticipating her own good night kiss. Well, she certainly wasn't going to be disappointed!

"Good night, Kitten." She leaned in, met halfway by the Faunus, careful to ensure she was just as gentle as she was with their girlfriend.

When they separated, Blake bit her lip, speaking softly. "I don't mind you calling me that, Yang, really but... not outside the room, okay?"

While part of her had expected that point would probably be discussed, she hadn't expected it so soon. Still, she was glad they were able to avoid a potential argument over it. "Of course."

Blake smiled. "Good night, Yang."

With that done- and to ensure she didn't do something silly and get herself into _real_ trouble with her girlfriends- the blonde climbed up to her bunk and settled beneath the covers. Below, she could hear Blake get up, crossing the room to give her own good night kiss to Weiss, both of them speaking in hushed voices.

"We really need to come up with a pet name for her," the Faunus said.

"I've been trying to," their girlfriend replied with a soft sigh. "We'll talk about it tomorrow."

"Right."

Pretending she didn't hear them, Yang reveled in the warmth suffusing her chest right then. Sure, it wasn't a loud declaration of love- which, honestly, wasn't suited to either of their styles as much as hers- but it was enough to assure her that her affections were returned. It was still too early to expect those three little words from either of them but the efforts they were putting in... yeah, she would be content with that for a while yet.

As Blake flicked off the lights, the blonde allowed her eyes to close, losing herself to a silly little fantasy to pass the time until she fell asleep. At least in the privacy afforded by her own mind, she didn't need to worry about holding herself back, even if there was little chance of it happening any time soon, and it battled back the sense of loneliness that was gnawing at the corner of her mind. After waking up beside her girlfriends earlier, the sheets seemed a tad too cold and empty for her liking, bereft of the warmth of her lovers as they slept in their own beds. It was a soft but sharp pang she was doing her best to ignore; it wasn't like they could change that any time soon.

Still, imagining the three of them returning from a mission or a long day at school and trudging through the door to their very own apartment, too tired to do anything aside from change into their night clothes and crawl into a huge, four poster bed in their shared bedroom...

A little wishful thinking never hurt anyone, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Best part of writing Yang: THE PUNS. All the puns. ALL OF THEM.


	12. No Privacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might want to stick around. There's a few things to wrap up.

By some miracle, a series of events occurred that meant Yang was probably far happier than anyone had a right to be while nose deep in a Grimm Studies textbook.

That morning at breakfast, Penny had joined them in the cafeteria, and with some gentle (well, okay, Blake kicking her under the table actually kinda hurt) encouragement from her girlfriends, Yang managed not to totally embarrass her sister throughout the first meal of the day. That little bit of goodwill meant Ruby felt comfortable enough to invite Penny to study in the library, leaving the trio alone in their room. Now, while they _were_ studying, Weiss had decided that it made a suitable amount of sense for them to do so together, focusing on one subject at a time.

Somehow, that translated to the three being cuddled up on Blake's bed, the Faunus helping Weiss hold the book open in Yang's lap while the blonde's arms were wrapped around her girlfriends, offering her body as the perfect surface to lean against as they took turns reading the text. The subject itself was pretty cut and dry outside of practical exams and she honestly wasn't even sure what the point was when so much about the Grimm remained unknown, but she sure as hell was a lot more invested in getting to the end of the chapter than she'd ever been sitting in Port's class.

"How do Nevermores use their feathers to attack, anyway?" The blonde frowned, brows furrowed as Blake finished the latest passage. "Wouldn't that mean they lose some in the process?"

"Well, given our experiences, I would say that their feathers are layered over each other several times, so it never _looks_ like they're losing any." Weiss shrugged one shoulder, her own expression pinched into one of sour remembrance. "I don't recall touching anything I would deem as 'flesh' while riding the one in the Emerald Forest, but I can't say I was too concerned about that at the time."

"They dissipate the same as the Grimm do, so it must be linked to their body somehow." Blake muttered, amber eyes scanning the page. "No one's ever gotten close enough to really distinguish where the feathers end and the beast's actual body begins."

"Again, they were probably too distracted by not getting killed to find out."

Yang chuckled, her expression smoothing out as she turned to press a kiss to the heiress' temple. "It's okay, Princess. No one faults you for missing the biggest biological find of our generation. I'm sure you'll get another shot, someday."

"With your sister's penchant for finding trouble, I don't doubt it." Weiss tilted her head, gently brushing her lips against the blonde's jaw.

"Don't get distracted." The Faunus gently chided, her heart obviously not in the admonishment in the slightest. "No makeouts until the end of the chapter."

"Isn't that what we said _last_ chapter?" Yang grinned, willing either of her girlfriends to believe her.

"No, we didn't make that rule until after we started _this_ chapter," the smaller woman said, even as she ignored the textbook entirely in favor of looking at Blake. "But I suppose we could enact it retroactively, right?"

Aha, two against one! Amber eyes sparkled with mischief as the Faunus chuckled, betraying only a little surprise that the heiress was the one who caved so quickly. "We _are_ covering a lot of material today. An incentive to remember the information couldn't hurt."

This was a recipe for trouble in the future, Yang could already tell. Whether it was the newly found rush that came with the early stages of any relationship, an addiction to the physical euphoria that came with doing more than just cuddling, or a deep rooted need for some form of gratification, she had no idea, but all three of them were rapidly depleting their apparently limited stores of self control in this particular arena. Not that she was going to complain- of course not, she wasn't crazy- but it posed the potential of making things phenomenally more difficult for the triad.

Glancing at the clock, Yang mentally made a note to keep things short- enough to temper their urges without getting too carried away- solely to avoid those potentially unpleasant side effects of falling behind on their studying. She then tried to lean back, pressing against the wall behind them as firmly as she could to give her girlfriends enough room to get to each other. However, it seemed Weiss had other plans, releasing the book to lay a gentle hand along her jaw, directing her into a teasing brush of lips while Blake moved the abandoned text away, where it wouldn't be damaged.

Not of a mind to waste any more time, the blonde rolled with it, easily matching her girlfriend's enthusiasm as the kiss deepened. It was _oh_ so tempting to move them both so they were laying down- she had more than enough strength to do it, too- but she refrained, merely drawing the smaller woman's body more firmly against her own with the arm already wrapped around her shoulder. The other was still holding the Faunus, curling a little tighter as the barest hint of a purr started to vibrate Blake's body.

Did they _really_ have to study today? Because last night sure as hell gave her time to come up with a ton of ideas for things they could try and it wasn't likely they'd get a golden opportunity like this-

Suddenly, the whooshing of the door opening had the heiress breaking the kiss with a gasp, a groan bubbling up through Yang's throat even as Weiss pulled away, panting slightly from their brief but intense make out.

Okay, she really couldn't blame Ruby- it _was_ her room, too- but, damnit, did she have some awful timing! Their team leader couldn't wait, like, three more minutes?

Glaring briefly at the underside of her bed, the blonde didn't fail to notice that Blake had all too eagerly pounced on the newly available heiress, drawing her into a heated kiss that easily matched the intensity of the one they'd just broken off. Although a tad annoyed with her sister's interruption, Yang found it hard to fault either of her girlfriends for adjusting as quickly as they did.

"For the record, we _were_ studying!" She called out, shifting her gaze from the slates of her bed to the doorway. "So don't blame- uh oh."

Staring at her from the entrance to the room was a tall woman who definitely was _not_ Ruby in any way. Sharp, cold blue eyes, flawlessly white hair, and a very familiar frown- all features she recognized as belonging to the smaller woman halfway to sitting in the blonde's lap while making out with their other girlfriend. Apparently, resting bitch face was a genetic trait because there was absolutely zero doubt that this woman was, in fact, Winter Schnee.

Fuck.

"Weiss." The woman's voice- effortlessly loud and crisp- snapped Yang's girlfriends to their senses faster than pouring a bucket of ice cold water over them would have.

"W-Winter!" The heiress twisted around- eyes wide and face even paler than her usual complexion- and scrambled out of the bed until she was standing before her sister and dipping into a curtsy in the blink of an eye. "I-I didn't know you were visiting! It's good to-"

"Spare me the pleasantries." Weiss' face twitched, a subtle expression that might've been lost on the blonde had she not spent so much time covertly observing her girlfriends. "You send me a message in the dead of night asking about money and honestly thought I wouldn't come to investigate?"

The elder Schnee's voice was as cold and placid as a frozen lake. It made Yang want to shiver, to dispel the chill she could feel sinking into her as she and Blake pushed themselves off the bed and to their feet. While the Faunus was doing everything in her power to seem entirely unfazed by the impromptu visit, the blonde could see the faint twitch in her _unbound ears_ \- shit, this was probably about to get _really_ bad, _really_ fast.

"Uh, well, I do apologize for the timing, I was just-"

"I'm quite aware of what you were just doing, Weiss," the woman said, looking over her shoulder to note the two Atlesian Knights flanking her. "Leave us." The robots- totally not like Penny, which would've at least made the entire situation less tense- took two steps back at the order. "Out the door, and close it. I'll not have anyone or anything else bearing witness to this spectacle."

Silently, the Knights obeyed, leaving just the four of them in the enclosed space as the door closed. Being the largest of the trio, Yang tried valiantly to fight the sensation that the room was shrinking, that Winter's presence was somehow dwarfing her own with each passing second. It didn't help that the woman's expression hadn't changed the slightest, making it impossible to tell if it was simple unwelcomed shock lending severity to her tone or something that ran much deeper.

"Weiss. Sister." The elder Schnee sighed, shaking her head slightly. "What ridiculous delusions have overcome you? Have you forgotten everything you were taught?"

"Of course I haven't!" The heiress protested, shoulders tensing at how weak her protest sounded, the next words leaving her mouth much stronger. "Winter, I realize this isn't conventional-"

"Conventional?" Winter clasped her hands behind her back. "I don't think such a word has any place in the entirety of this conversation. From where I'm standing, my little sister is begging me for monetary assistance, which I can only assume is to purchase some manner of hidden love nest for her freeloading girlfriend _and_ her pet; _conventional_ is the very last thing to apply to any part of this whole situation."

To Blake's credit, she took the blatant racial slur with nothing more than a hardened look and a slight frown, hands balling into fists at her sides.

Yang, on the other hand... didn't react nearly so calmly.

"Excuse the fuck out of you!" She growled, taking one step forward before a slim hand landed on her shoulder, bringing her to a stop. She could feel her eyes darkening, just a hair's breadth away from becoming blood red, as the heat of her anger coursed through every muscle and invigorated her. Still, her gaze left the woman she had half a mind to beat some sense into so she could meet her girlfriend's gaze. In those ice blue eyes- worlds different from her sister's, no doubt about it- the blonde could see the confusion and pain the situation was causing. While she never doubted Weiss' word when she said she wasn't ashamed of their relationship, she also found it difficult to sympathize with not calling out her sister on such blatant bigotry. Perhaps that was because Ruby didn't have a malicious bone in her tiny body, so there was no way she _could_ compare, but that was beside the point. She wasn't even that peeved about the 'freeloading' comment; like hell she wasn't going to set the record straight about the slur, though. "Weiss-"

"Yang, _please_ -"

Winter took the momentary pause to scoff. "Seems you need collars for the both of them."

Okay, she was typically a pretty easy going and understanding person. She really only made exceptions for that in regards to a certain tricolored villain they'd recently run into and, now, the woman standing in front of her. Her glare landed on the new target of her ire, muscles bunching beneath her skin as she yearn to smack that haughty look of utter disdain off her face.

"Winter, that's enough." The rebuttal wasn't as strong as it could've been but it was there. In the back of her mind, she had to admit Weiss was trying. This was her sister, whom she obviously cared about and respected and even admired, so talking back was probably a bigger deal than the blonde's anger addled brain could really process, but the pitiful attempt at a reprimand did nothing to calm Yang down any.

"You're allowing yourself to be corrupted by these degenerates, Weiss," her sister said, narrowing her eyes as she evenly met Yang's rapidly reddening gaze. "Perhaps you should leave, so I can deal with these two myself."

There was a subtle flexing of muscle in her periphery, the Faunus fighting the impulse to raise her white knuckled fists into a defensive stance. Her ears were pinned back against her skull, unable to hide the fury coursing through every fiber of Blake's being as she fought to remain calm on the outside.

Yang, however, was far less inclined to maintain her composure, pushing forward despite Weiss trying to hold her back, moving until she stood directly in front of the woman somehow related to her girlfriend.

Shit, if _this_ is a preview of who Weiss could've become were it not for Beacon, she'd have to give the heiress more credit when it came to her occasional outbursts. Calling her transformation an 'uphill battle' was putting things so lightly, it was almost criminal.

" _Stop!_ " Although she was loathe to do so, Yang turned her head enough to get a look at her girlfriend, ready to let the first thing that came to mind fly from her tongue. The only thing stopping her from saying something she'd likely regret- or reevaluating her taste in romantic partners, if she was being brutally honest with herself- was the fact that the heiress' gaze wasn't directed at the blonde. No, those ice blue eyes were staring at her big sister, jaw set as she drew herself up as tall as she could stand, which was still nothing compared to the older, taller Schnee. That didn't stop the heiress in the slightest, though, her chin tilted up proudly. "Winter, I respect your opinion as my sister, but in this case... you're wrong. Yang and Blake are the furthest thing from what you've accused them of so far and... and I _demand_ you apologize to them."

Amber eyes snapped to Weiss' face, taking in every faint tremor in the woman's expression, posture, and voice while Yang did the same. Despite the anger still boiling within both of them, the insulted parties subtly dropped their aggressive postures by the smallest amount.

Yeah, it wasn't a declaration of love from the top of Beacon, but they'd spent enough time with the smaller woman to recognize when she was repeating words she didn't exactly mean and when the insecurities she would swear didn't exist were getting the better of her, cracking that 'ice queen' persona she usually hid behind. This wasn't something she was saying for the sake of preserving their relationship; she _meant_ it. And it terrified her to so blatantly reject her own blood like this, but she still did it. That... was a lot. It wasn't perfect, no, but neither was Weiss, and they both cared about her regardless of her faults.

For a brief moment, Yang caught Blake's expression, seeing a reflection of her own tumultuous feelings shining bright in amber eyes. The anger was still there, and the pain, but there was also a font of relief, pride, and affection for the shorter woman, even as she held her sister's gaze steadily.

"You expect me to apologize to these... scoundrels?" Winter's voice was edged with disdain, dismissively looking between the two not related to her.

"No," her sister replied, steadying her voice just enough to speak her next words flawlessly. "I expect you to apologize to my girlfriends."

The tension was thick enough in the room that it left a sour taste in the blonde's mouth even as her heart soared. The confirmation of their relationship in the face of her family member's obvious disapproval just made the depth of the heiress' feelings all the more clear, nearly bowling Yang over the moment she fully comprehended exactly what had just happened. Even Blake seemed to calm somewhat, ears no longer pinned to her skull as she reached out to set a hand against the small of Weiss' back, a gentle and reassuring touch. Make no mistake, they were both rather _pissed_ at Winter's holier-than-thou attitude, but that didn't matter nearly as much as the heiress' current mental state. While the Faunus concerned herself with offering a physical show of support, Yang once again stepped in between the Schnee sisters, her eyes reverting to the deep shade of lilac they held when she was using every fiber of her being to hold her anger in check.

Winter didn't even look fazed by the demand. "You're being exceptionally difficult, Weiss, but I can see I won't be able to talk sense into _you_ presently." She motioned towards the door while shifting her gaze to meet the blonde's. "Seeing as this one's volunteered, I'll simply speak to them one-on-one."

"No, I don't think that's necessary." Yang squared her shoulders, outright glaring at the elder Schnee while waving to keep both of her girlfriends where they were. Not that she believed for a moment either was intent on moving, but countering the other woman's actions brought her at least a little satisfaction, especially when she didn't hear even the slightest rustle of fabric behind her. "Anything said between the two of us can be shared with the group. I have nothing to hide from _either_ of my _girlfriends_ but you? Oh, I've got some words for you."

"Go on, then." Winter seemed utterly unimpressed with the blonde's forceful tone. "Implore me to see the good in you, Miss Xiao Long."

Her mouth opened but, at the last second, she paused and changed tracks. Pretty much anything she said in defense of herself or Blake was going to be ignored or shot down; that much was apparent. If the woman was half as stubborn as her sister, Yang didn't stand a chance of changing her mind, especially in such a short span of time. Plus, she'd never introduced herself, so how the elder Schnee knew her name already was something of a mystery. Tactics were Ruby's thing and arguments were Blake's and Weiss', but Yang could recognize an uphill battle when she saw one. So, she went for the next best thing, her go-to back up plan, just like with Junior and half a dozen other knuckleheads she'd dealt with in the past.

She'd do a full one eighty.

"Actually, I'd rather you didn't." She crossed her arms over her chest, as much to remind herself not to take a swing and wipe that infuriatingly haughty expression off the woman's face as to affect an air of immovable resolution covered by nonchalance. Even the tone of her voice was higher, bordering on chipper, though it was forced. She wouldn't claim to be a good actress but she could play a part pretty convincingly, if suitably motivated. "I'm a big sis, too, ya know? So, I get it; you want to protect Weiss. Go for it." The blonde shrugged, a small smile on her lips. "Hate me all you want. Watch my every move. Complain about my every fault. Let nothing get by you." Leaning closer, Yang growled right in the woman's face. "In fact, I fucking _dare_ you."

"A strange request coming from the woman corrupting my little sister."

"Not when you think about it." Taking a deep breath and forcing her expression to truly soften, Yang started again in a far more conversational tone. "Weiss has mentioned you before. Blake and I, we know that she values your opinion. It's obvious she cares about what you think- about the weather, about the kingdoms, and about _her_. If it's coming from you, she'll always listen, even if she disagrees." Her lilac eyes slid to the heiress in question, confusion and a bittersweet pride shining in those icy blue eyes. "I care for Weiss, the same way I care for Blake. I don't want to hurt them and I've promised myself I'll always put them first, above all else." Her gaze flicked over to Blake briefly before lowering, staring a hole in the ground between the trio and their guest. "But I know from experience that it doesn't matter how much someone loves you... not everyone keeps their promises." Drawing herself up again, Yang lifted her gaze to meet Winter's, steeling herself even as the words left her lips. "So if there ever comes a time I hurt Weiss, I know you'll be first in line to kick my ass for it. I also know that, even if she's stubborn and bullheaded and frustratingly dedicated, Weiss will listen to you if I _ever_ disregard her well-being." She took a step forward, arms dropping to her sides. "Truth is, we both want the same thing: what's best for the person we care so greatly about. If you don't like me, that's fine, because it just means I don't have any slack when it comes to my screw ups. Maybe it's better that way." Her expression darkened again. "But don't you _dare_ think that means I'll let you spit out whatever you damn well please. I'm not going to stand here, listening to you completely disrespecting Weiss' choices- which are _hers_ to make, FYI- and Blake's _entire being_ without calling you out on it." On a gamble, she raised her hand, poking the woman's chest forcefully to accent her point. It could hardly be considered an attack... provocation, maybe, and perhaps her anger was still simmering at the boiling point, but her restraint was impressive by her standards. "At the end of the day, this is _our_ relationship, not yours; if you can't respect that, then keep your mouth shut until one of us actually does something warranting your fucked up opinion."

Winter sniffed, glancing down at where the blonde had touched her before sliding her gaze to Blake. "Does the mongrel have anything else to add?"

Both Yang's hands clenched into tight fists and it was only the twin grips that appeared on her arms that prevented her from throwing a punch, Weiss practically wrapping herself around her right while Blake took the left.

"You're probably not going to listen to anything I say, anyway." The Faunus muttered before speaking up, evenly meeting the woman's gaze. "But if there's anything I _can_ get through your thick skull, maybe it's this: Weiss cares about you. I don't want your apology, but at least respect her enough to not destroy your relationship with her over this."

The elder Schnee narrowed her eyes and eventually sighed, looking towards her sister. "Father will be livid when he finds out. He allowed you to attend Beacon so you could _learn_." She glanced at the blonde and Faunus, nose crinkling in distaste. "To be clear- I mean learn subjects _not_ centered around fornication."

Biting back a growl, Yang felt her anger rising once more, ready to burst through if the heiress so much as hinted that she could do as she pleased.

"I _am_ learning and training to become a Huntress. I don't recall agreeing to set aside my personal happiness as a condition of attending, though," Weiss replied, glancing at her girlfriends before taking a steadying breath. Suddenly, her cold persona was sliding back into place, nearly every trace of the woman underneath evaporating as she once again became the Ice Queen. "I'd hoped you'd be more supportive... but perhaps that was the wish of a fool." Despite the tremor in her shoulders, the heiress stared her sister down. "I'm afraid I must ask you to leave, Winter. If I can't count on your support or father's... at least I can count on Blake's and Yang's."

"Princess."

"Weiss."

The two spoke softly in tandem, completely ignoring the elder Schnee as they turned their attention to their girlfriend. Shoving her anger and frustration to the back of her mind, the blonde wrapped an arm around the smaller woman, pressing her lips to white locks as she tried to provide whatever comfort she could. When she looked up, Blake had appeared on Weiss' other side, slipping an arm around her trim waist. They could both see how close their girlfriend was to absolutely shattering under Winter's unyielding gaze, stubbornly holding herself together by the barest of measures.

The woman sighed. "You'll regret this come tomorrow morning, sister."

"No, I won't." Weiss shook her head, leaning into the embraces that were keeping her on her feet. "I'll mourn what I've lost, yes. I'll miss you. I'll break, like a mirror thrown against a wall. I'll no longer be a Schnee." She glanced to both sides, seeking out her girlfriends' gazes as a small smile graced her lips. "But I know I won't be alone when it happens. I'll have help putting myself back together, from two wonderful people who care about me deeply. To them, I'm Weiss, and that's all I _have_ to be. I don't have to be perfect for them; I'm already good enough... but I _want_ to be better, for them."

Yang felt her lips curling into a smile, tightening her hold on the heiress' shoulders and sneaking another kiss to the top of her head while Blake placed one on her cheek. It was _awful_ that things had come to this- and she felt majorly responsible since it was _her_ suggestion that essentially landed them in this position to begin with- but it was probably too late to start mending bridges today. Maybe in time the sisters could repair their broken relationship but, at that moment, all the blonde wanted to do was take care of her girlfriend and remove- by force, if necessary- the one causing her pain.

"We kinda like it when you're not perfect, for the record," she said, her voice only loud enough for her girlfriends to hear. Winter probably could hear her too but, well, fuck her. The blonde wouldn't mind an excuse to pop her a few times but Blake and Weiss had made it pretty clear that they wanted her to keep a lid on her temper, so she wasn't out to provoke the woman. "But you're more than 'good enough', Princess."

"So much more." Blake added, the hints of a purr making the edges of her words a little rough even as it further bolstered the heiress' mood. "It doesn't matter where you come from, your last name, your flaws, or your faults." She reached up, gently cupping Weiss' cheek and passing her thumb against the bottom of her scar. "We..." Amber eyes flicked to meet her lilac gaze before she continued. "We love you, Weiss." Her ears flicked back, portraying a seldom displayed shyness. "I love you just as much as I love Yang. That hasn't changed."

Yang could feel her entire being become lighter as she listened to those words. Sure, it wasn't the ideal situation, but damnit if that mattered. Maybe it was still too early- there was the vaguest hints of concern in Blake's expression- but that didn't mean the words were any less heartfelt. She was just scared, because _everyone_ gets scared putting themselves up there like that, putting their hearts out in the open, and that was against Blake's very nature.

But she'd said it anyway.

Weiss immediately reacted, a brilliant smile lighting up her expression as she pulled both of them closer. The Faunus lifted her chin, allowing the smaller woman to nuzzle into her chest as the first hints of tears formed in those blue eyes, and whatever doubts might've lingered were chased away. From her spot, Yang couldn't imagine a more beautiful sight, pivoting and wrapping her other arm around Blake's shoulders so she could hold both of them together. This wasn't easy- they'd acknowledged as much the day before, how unique and particularly trying the difficulties of their relationship would be- but she wasn't going to let go. No, she'd _never_ let go.

The gentle rustle of fabric had lilac eyes snapping to the side, the moment slightly darkened by the catalyst of their intense and emotional trial, but her anger was tempered at what she saw.

Winter hadn't moved from her spot except to lift a hand to her face, quickly settling back into her military posture when Yang focused on her. However, there was no hiding her watery eyes or the strangely wide smile on her face, chin tilted up in a clear indication of pride. She probably looked much the same when she first learned Ruby would be attended Beacon a full two years early; that's just the sort of fierce loyalty one could expect from a big sister.

Apparently, her girlfriends noticed her distraction, pulling away from each other long enough to see the elder Schnee's sudden shift in demeanor. Only then did she address the three of them.

"Weiss. I know it's hard to imagine, but I've felt the same frustration regarding our father's... dedication to the company and his ideals, and the lengths he's willing to go to in order to achieve his ends." Her voice was soft, lacking the harsh edge from before. "I know he's put you on a pedestal, forced you to bear the burden of a title you never asked for, and expected more out of you than should be demanded of a child. I was a child, too." Cold blue eyes deviated slightly, lingering on Blake and Yang in turn before returning. "It took me far past graduation to actually grow a spine and pursue my own interests instead of bending to his whims. I can't imagine the strength you possess to do so at your age but it's clear you're not alone. Not anymore."

Winter took a slow step forward, once again looking to her sister's girlfriends in a silent request. The blonde glanced at her partner, clearly conflicted about her own feelings regarding the woman, but something in those amber eyes convinced her to let sleeping dogs lie. They weren't out to ruin Weiss' relationship with her sister, so any measures taken to salvage it shouldn't be squandered. The gentle pressure of the heiress' small hands against their sides also helped make up their minds. They both reluctantly took a step back, hovering nearby in the event they needed to intervene but willing to allow the two to talk.

"I wish I could've been there for you, protected you from the worst of what our heritage demands." The woman reached out, setting a hand on her younger sibling's shoulder. "But I'm proud of the steps you've taken on your own. You've grown into a very fine woman, Weiss. I'm _very_ proud of you."

Stunned, Weiss hesitated a moment before stepping forward, enveloping her sister in a hug, head tilted down to hide what Yang was certain were tears spilling from her eyes. Winter accepted the show of weakness with nothing more than a soft smile, wrapping her arms around the smaller frame pressed against her but directing her gaze at the Faunus, who immediately bristled under the scrutiny despite the distinct lack of malevolence in those cold blue eyes.

"Nothing I can say now will erase what I've already said, Miss Belladonna, and I'm well aware of that." The words were stated simply, but the blonde could hear the note of regret in the older woman's voice, shoulders losing their tense posture as Blake seemed more willing to listen. "However, please, know that I don't hold those views. Our father... would not be as kind, were he to meet you, and I'm afraid he believes his prejudices are justified with every fibre of his being." Winter's lips tugged into a slight frown. "I sincerely apologize for the pain I've caused and the pain you've suffered because of people who look down upon you. I wish I could say they'll be the last you ever hear, but I think we both know better."

One of the Faunus' ears flicked, a sign of her lingering agitation, before she nodded. "We do."

"Thank you for your understanding... and for not holding the crimes of our family against Weiss." She tightened her hold, rubbing gently along the heiress' back to soothe the soft sobs coming from the younger woman. "I'd always hoped she would find friends who could support her in the face of our family's legacy. I'm very glad she's found a partner able to set aside personal pain to protect her. In fact, she's found two."

Then Winter's gaze was on Yang and the blonde found it a tad bit difficult to fully meet her eye-to-eye. This was the very woman she was contemplating knocking out not a whole lot of minutes prior; to see the genuine care and softness that was hidden beneath the military posturing... it felt weird. Almost as if she felt guilty for her actions, even though she wasn't.

"You were very right earlier, Miss Xiao Long; all of us want what's best for Weiss. As cruel as it may seem, I've watched countless suitors try to say what they thought both of us wanted to hear in an attempt to glorify themselves in one way or another, agreeing to whatever mindless drivel they thought would gain them favor." A flicker of a smile passed across her features, a soft chuckle passing her lips as she continued. "I'm glad neither of you seemed inclined to let me get away with that. You'll need that nerve if you truly wish to pursue this relationship... though I will warn you that it won't do you any good if either of you are foolish enough to break her heart."

"I'm standing _right here_ , you know." The heiress muttered, drawing back enough to quickly wipe at her eyes, affecting an air of annoyance. "I don't require coddling-"

"This isn't coddling." Winter corrected, stepping back enough to look her sister in the eye. "This is making amends. When I received your message last night, I'd feared the worst and rushed here as quickly as able. While this... situation certainly never entered my mind, I couldn't very well do nothing to ensure you were being treated fairly." The elder sister's eyes darted between Yang and Blake for a brief moment. "I couldn't allow even the possibility that you were being taken advantage of, Weiss. We both know how many have already tried."

While not exactly a fan of essentially being called a gold digger to her face... Yang could at least see where the woman was coming from, in some respects. She didn't _like_ it- and suddenly the idea of some untold number of morons trying to flatter their way into the heiress' heart annoyed the hell out of her almost as bad as Neptune's antics the day before- but she could see how that might be something a big sister would be concerned about. Did she really need to go to _those_ lengths, though?

A glance to her side confirmed that Blake was still on the fence about whether or not to excuse Winter's words. She probably didn't look that way to the elder Schnee, of course, but Yang could see the hint of anger still bubbling beneath the surface, the effort being put into keeping herself calm. Their lazy Sunday was definitely shot at this point; the moment they were afforded some privacy, the blonde was going to make sure she kissed away every slight crease of frustration that had marred the Faunus' features before.

"While I appreciate the thought, was it _really_ necessary?" The exasperation in her voice sounded a bit forced, as if Weiss already knew her sister's answer and wasn't inclined to actually hear it, moving on quickly. "At any rate, now that your impromptu test is over, would you like a tour around campus?"

Winter raised a brow at that. "You nearly disown me and now you want to be polite?" Before she could defend herself, Weiss was cut off by a small laugh. "Sister, let's skip the formalities. I'm afraid my absence wasn't exactly sanctioned by my superiors, so I'll be forced to leave shortly." Reaching into her jacket, the older woman retrieved her scroll, opening up the message that landed them in this situation. "It would better serve all of us to discuss the financial arrangement you wrote about."

"That isn't-"

"Uh, hold up-"

"Wait a minute-"

All three of them tried to object, heat rising in her girlfriends' cheeks as Yang tried to bite back a groan. She wasn't sure of exactly how Weiss worded her request the night before but, all things considered, didn't want Winter getting the wrong impression about their relationship. Not to say that she was _entirely_ wrong about her earlier 'love nest' comment but... well, there were certain things she didn't want to know about Ruby's private life, and she sure as hell didn't want to explain those things to her girlfriend's sister.

"Come now, girls, we're all adults." The older woman paused to take a cursory glance around the room, her gaze lingering on the haphazardly assembled bunk beds as a grin overtook her lips. "As charming as your living quarters here are, they're not suited to the simple pleasures of a relationship. Even with the relatively sparse arrangements that come with military life, I wouldn't want to entertain company in such a manner, either."

" _Entertain company_?" The heiress repeated, her blush increasing tenfold, and Yang instantly put a hand on her shoulder to steady her in case she fainted, all the while trying very hard to not look at the floor where their combined mattresses were set out the night before.

"Of course; I _do_ go on dates, Weiss. Being surrounded by machines makes me crave a stimulating conversation every once in a while, even if it does save me the headache of supervising subordinates, and I'm not one to object to a decent film or dinner, especially one that's home cooked. I've never been a fan of movie theatres, honestly." Her attention once again left her scroll to settled on her sister. "What did you _think_ I meant?"

"Exactly that, of course." Weiss blurted out almost suspiciously too quickly, prompting ice blue eyes to slide first to Blake, then to Yang. The Faunus, of course, managed to look entirely composed, giving nothing away aside from a polite but small smile.

She wasn't quite that good at hiding where _her_ mind had gone, a nervous grin on her lips. "Your sister's a helluva kisser!"

... she did not mean to say that. It wasn't _untrue_ , of course, but that definitely wasn't what she thought was going to come out of her mouth when she opened it.

Given the especially hard jab her ribs suffered the moment she realized her mistake, Weiss didn't seem too thrilled about her brilliant addition to the conversation, either.

For her part, Winter merely blinked, took a deep breath, and released it slowly before returning her attention to her scroll. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that."

"Awesome, works for me," Yang replied, earning another, much softer elbow to the same spot that made her wince.

In her defense, she could've said something _a lot_ worse, so they should really just be thankful she didn't do that.

"Although, I do appreciate your honesty, Miss Xiao Long." She glanced at Blake. "And your discretion, Miss Belladonna."

"Blake," the Faunus replied, inclining her head slightly. "I'd rather us not be formal."

"Probably because you know I'll screw it up." Yang muttered under her breath, a slight smirk coming to her lips when she saw Blake's lips twitch. That was at least a contributing factor, if not the whole reason.

"I only mean to show you both the respect I denied you at the onset of our acquaintance." The elder Schnee explained, her tone much warmer than the still slightly formal wording. "I still feel-"

"Don't." Yang supplied, receiving a nod from Blake before she continued. "If you really didn't mean what you said, let's put it behind us. No reason to get hung up when we're all on the same page now, right?"

"As you wish." Winter closed her scroll, replacing it in her jacket as Weiss' own trilled with a new message. "I've just sent you the address to your new condo. You can pick up the key at the reception desk; it's filed under one of my aliases, which I've also sent you." Her lips quirked up into a grin. "Being a Specialist in the Atlesian military comes with certain... liberties."

While the heiress was busy retrieving her device to ensure the information arrived properly, Yang smiled. "That's great! How much do we-"

The older woman laughed, waving a hand dismissively. "Come now, Yang; do you honestly think I'm going to let any of you pay? There are far more important things for you to put your funds toward than mundane bills." She looked between Blake and the blonde again. "While I can't promise this as a suitable long term solution, I urge all of you to focus on your futures- both individually and as a... um-"

"Triad." Weiss supplied offhandedly, eyes glued to her scroll. "It's called a triad."

"Right. As a triad." Coughing into her hand, Winter nodded before turning towards the door. "Now, unfortunately, I must return to Atlas. I will try arrange another visit when my duties bring me near Vale, but I can't make any promises." A shadow passed over her features briefly. "I'm afraid I'll be seeing Father sometime in the next few weeks, but rest assured, I've no intention of bringing up my visit today or anything I've learned."

"That would probably be for the best... but must you really leave so soon?" Weiss frowned, clearly not happy about her sister's imminent departure.

"To avoid suspicion, yes. I can explain away a day's delay, but the larger the window, the more suspicious I'll appear." Opening the door, Winter threw one last look at the three of them. "Take care of yourselves and each other. I look forward to a proper introduction over coffee the next time I visit."

"That sounds lovely," the heiress replied, seemingly pleased with the tentative plan.

Wordlessly, her girlfriends nodded, some small part of Yang was absolutely thrilled that things had turned out so well, though she was still holding onto some residual anger from Winter's comments. Even if she didn't mean them- and despite the way all three of them had reacted in defense of their relationship- there was a voice in the back of her head absolutely livid that such blatant bias could rear its ugly head at any given moment. It was completely alien to the blonde, that level of deep rooted hate, and it made her immediately pull her girlfriends close the moment the door shut. There were soft noises of surprise but no protesting as they tucked their heads against her shoulders, arms gently looping around her waist as she embraced them.

"Yang?" Her partner spoke softly, hand creeping between her shoulders blades to rub away the tension still holding her muscles taut. "You said it yourself; we shouldn't hold a grudge."

"Winter _meant_ well." Weiss tried to defend, though there was a tremor of uncertainty even as she pressed a chaste kiss to the underside of Yang's jaw. "I didn't think she would-"

"It's not that," she said, taking a deep breath to center herself. "Just... I mean, it's different _knowing_ there are jerks in the world- racists, elitists, judgmental assholes- and something else being confronted with it." She leaned back enough to look down at both of them, setting her lips in a firm line as her brows furrowed. "The next time someone talks like that to either of you, I'm not holding back."

"I think we'd both prefer you _not_ in jail for assault, actually." The heiress murmured, her gaze soft as she reached up to gently cup the blonde's face. "But the sentiment is appreciated."

The Faunus, of course, was more reasonable. "I'll make sure we don't get caught." Amber eyes darted towards the door, worry creasing her brow as her ears twitched. "Although, maybe we shouldn't leave our door unlocked anymore."

"It _was_ locked, remember?" Weiss sighed, tucking her head back against her girlfriend's shoulder. "I don't doubt Winter called ahead to ensure she'd have my location and quick access, due to the state of the situation. I'm actually surprised-" Just then, their scrolls all trilled, that special tone reserved for notices sent from Beacon's staff. The shorter woman merely sighed again. "Nevermind."

With a grumble, the blonde removed her arms so they could all retrieve their devices, confirming that a message from Professor Goodwitch was summoning them to the Headmaster's office as soon as possible. Already, Yang was cringing, not quite sure how they were going to explain that the elder Schnee sibling was just checking up on her sister who happened to make an odd request on behalf of her girlfriends the night before. So far, they weren't really doing good at keeping this secret relationship _secret_ at all.

"We might as well go." Weiss mumbled, pocketing her scroll and tossing her hair over her shoulder, quickly straightening out her bolero to cover her nerves.

"Maybe we should come up with a story first?" She offered, skeptical about rushing off to yet another stressful interrogation so soon. _Especially_ if it was going to put either of her girlfriends in an even more agitated state. "Like, for why Winter was here."

"It... won't do us much good." Blake frowned, tying her bow with practiced ease. "Professor Goodwitch might allow it, but Professor Ozpin will _know_."

"I'm certain we won't need to go into specifics," the heiress said, waving her hand dismissively. "Just... this is my fault, so let me handle it."

"Wait, hold up, it's not your _fault_ , Weiss." Yang set a hand on each of her girlfriend's shoulders, making sure both sets of blue and amber eyes were focused on her before continuing. " _I_ was the one who brought up the apartment thing, so if anyone's getting blamed, it's me." With only a little effort, she quirked her lips into a confident grin. "But, I don't think we've got anything to worry about, okay? I mean, Professor Ozpin let Ruby come to Beacon two years ahead of schedule, and she deserves to be here; he seems like a pretty understanding guy."

Her gaze shifted between them, hoping her words would put her girlfriends at ease. Thankfully, the tense expression the Faunus had worn slid away, a ghost of a smile taking its place. "Yang's right. We don't have anything to be worried about."

The heiress looked down for a moment before nodding as her nerves settled. "You're both right. We're not doing anything _wrong_ , anyway. We'll be fine."

Relieved, the blonde quickly snuck a kiss from both of them. "Once we get done with this, how about we hit up the cafeteria for some ice cream? Wait, no, not that- something else. We should treat ourselves, is what I'm saying."

"What's wrong with ice cream?" Blake chuckled, raising a brow.

"Well." Yang slid away, heading for the door with a little bounce in her step. "We both got our fill of _Weiss_ cream last night, Blakey. Plain ol' ice cream just doesn't compare."

She wasn't sure _where_ the heiress found a book so readily available- perhaps the one they were studying with earlier- but it impacted the back of her head so quickly after the words left her mouth, she wouldn't be surprised to find that Weiss had actually conjured it out of thin air.

" _YANG_!"

" _Wow_ , that was bad."

The blonde merely laughed, weathering the verbal tirade from her shorter girlfriend with a huge smile while politely not pointing out how hard the other girlfriend was fighting a giggle fit as they left the room. Whatever their impromptu meeting with the teachers of Beacon held, at least they'd go into it with a smile. Well, two of them, anyway; Weiss was probably better off being annoyed than amused.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That went about as well as expected. Short conclusion to follow.


	13. Horrible Secret Keepers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One last scene. For amusement. True Story: the title of this chapter almost became the fic name, but I opted to keep the original.

Yang had prepared for a very short list of possible conversation topics when the three of them stepped off the elevator into the Headmaster's office. However, upon seeing that Ruby and Penny were also present, that list grew a few more topics. And, of course, the first thing out of Professor Ozpin's mouth included precisely _zero_ of them.

"Children! I'm glad you all could make it so quickly on such short notice." He peered at them over the top of his spectacles, taking a sip of his coffee while Professor Goodwitch watched them with her measured gaze. Luckily, by the time they'd actually reached the office, Yang and Blake had regained their composure, though Weiss still giving them a bit of a silent treatment for the blonde's teasing comment. Coming up with ways to apologize was only _slightly_ distracting. "Now, as to why I've called you all here." Professor Ozpin leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "There seems to be a police report regarding a group of ruffians stealing Dust crates last night. They were reportedly thwarted by a group of students, but none of them were around by the time the authorities showed up." One silver eyebrow raised. "Do any of you happen to know who might've been part of that scuffle?"

Although she said nothing, Professor Goodwitch's pointed look at the enlarged scroll she held was good enough reason to not even bother lying; they'd all used their lockers last night, and they were likely the only people who did, too.

Ruby spoke up, either because she was completely unfazed by the Professors' presence or because she was the team's leader, it was tough to say. "Yes, sir, we were all there. Roman Torchwick- the same man from the docks- was trying to steal the crates, and Penny and I stumbled on the whole, uh, operation?" She frowned for a moment, unsure of her word choice, before barreling through. "The rest of my team came to help. Please, sir, Penny and I only acted in self-defense; they fired first."

Professor Goodwitch frowned. "Be that as it may, you five certainly did a fair bit of damage yourselves, and so soon after the _last_ time this happened-"

"Now, Glynda, this is no time for a lecture." Professor Ozpin waved towards them. "Team RWBY has displayed excellent discretion and ability in all their classes and assignments. I'm inclined to believe they truly were acting in defense of themselves and each other, which is well within their rights." His gaze slid across them before settling on Yang. "What I _am_ concerned about, however, are the whispers I've been hearing about Miss Xiao Long not feeling well around this same time." He tapped a finger against his desk. "While you are attending Beacon, we are responsible for providing a safe environment for all our students. So, what has my attention is why one of my students didn't seek medical attention when she apparently needed it, and why her teammates weren't inclined to ensure she received it."

Well... shit. She wasn't expecting _that_.

"Yang was suffering from a mundane migraine, Professor Ozpin," Weiss said, smoothly covering as the sisters of the team froze up. Honestly, Yang had forgotten she'd played sick for a while, seeing as it definitely wasn't anywhere near a highlight of the day. Ruby probably wouldn't be able to lie convincingly enough anyway and let out a small sigh of relief when her partner stepped up. "A lack of proper hydration caused her symptoms, so we intended to leave the festivities early to bring her back to Beacon for rest. After dealing with the scoundrels assaulting our team leader, we did just that."

Professor Ozpin hummed, tilting his head to the side. "As Huntsmen and Huntresses, we must always endeavor to remember that our training doesn't make us invincible. Proper rest, nourishment, and hydration are essential to remaining in fighting shape." Once again, his gaze landed on Yang. "Try to take better care of yourself, Miss Xiao Long. I'd hate to see your fun ended prematurely from a few careless mistakes."

Holy shit. Blake was right. _He knew_.

Okay, maybe she was overreacting. That was just sound, teacher-ly advice that totally made sense within the context of their conversation and had absolutely _no_ ulterior meaning.

Her sister, being just too damn curious for her own good sometimes, furrowed her brows. "Fun, sir?"

With a surprised laugh, Professor Ozpin nodded. "Ah, yes, my apologies. I didn't mean to imply anything untoward. It just appears to me that perhaps Miss Xiao Long has come to this academy seeking the thrill of the hunt. There's nothing wrong that... but it could lead to wounds not easily healed by aura." He smiled. "I advise you take extra precautions from henceforth, Miss Xiao Long. It's not just yourself who could be harmed by even the most benign reckless action."

Nope, he totally fucking knew.

"And Miss Schnee, while we're on the subject, I simply ask that you alert my staff to any immediate necessities you might seek prior to contacting your family." He inclined his head slightly. "While we have always been on good terms with our neighbors in Atlas, I do like to handle issues in house as much as possible. I understand that some things can only be remedied by a sibling's assistance, but I would like to have an idea of what's going on the next time an Atlesian Specialist decides to drop by on emergency business."

"Of course, sir. I apologize for the inconvenience." Well, if Weiss suspected that the Headmaster knew more than he was letting on, she certainly didn't look or sound it. Maybe it was just Yang's imagination.

"No need for apologies." He waved a hand dismissively. "I'm quite certain your sister was better suited to providing the assistance you required _this_ time. I just don't want to set an unhealthy precedent." That little smile on his lips widened. "Your team is in a unique position that most students won't understand. The professors here are trained in discretion, though, so you needn't feel as if there's nowhere to turn, if ever any of you seek assistance."

Given how the heiress' eyes widened just the tiniest fraction and her shoulders straightened, Yang was willing to bet she just got the same vibe as the blonde.

 _Damn_ it!

"Now, Miss Belladonna. While I applaud you for taking care of your partner and supporting your teammate, I also urge you to remember to keep your own needs in mind, too. Like with Miss Xiao Long, keeping secrets endangers more than just yourself, so be sure to keep your team apprised of things that come up." He nodded slowly. "This is the second time you've been faced with the criminal Roman Torchwick and I got the distinct impression your last encounter had some lingering effects you may have withheld when we spoke. Please, air your grievances with your friends." That fucking little grin got a little wider. "I'm certain they're just as invested in you and as you are in them. Respect that bond."

"Of course. Sir." Out of the corner of her eye, Yang could've sworn she saw her partner's bow twitch. Either Professor Ozpin was an absolute _savant_ at giving multi-layered advice that _just so happened_ to apply to things he had no knowledge of, or the man had eyes and ears fucking everywhere. Suddenly, the blonde was finding herself thanking whatever lucky star was shining down on her that Winter had gotten them a condo so quickly. She'd probably be jumpy just _changing_ in their dorm room for the next few weeks, at least.

"Is there... anything else? Sir?" Even if Ruby wasn't picking up on how eerily vague the Headmaster's advice was, she definitely noticed the unease with which her teammates were now standing, a shy smile coming to her lips. "We were having a study day and-"

Their team leader cut herself off as the elevator behind them whooshed open, the tall and imposing figure of a man in an Atlesian military uniform striding out, his square jaw set in a distinctly aggressive manner. He looked a bit like a cleaner cut version of Junior, if Yang was being honest, except less likely to be cowed by the blonde.

"I apologize for the delay; I had to have a word with one of my soldiers who dropped by unannounced." His eyes landed briefly on Weiss before snapping to Penny, his heavy tread coming to stop once he was standing in front of the ginger. "Thank you, Professor Ozpin, for locating my wayward student."

"It was no trouble, James; she was in our library," the headmaster said, brushing off the severity of the other man's tone. "We invite all visiting students to utilize our facilities, so I'm glad she was dedicating her time to studying with Team RWBY."

"Studying?" The man raised a brow, crossing his arms over his chest. "Not fighting a gang as some sort of vigilante? I suppose that's an improvement."

"Please, General Ironwood, last night wasn't our fault." Penny tried to defend herself, looking to Ruby for assistance.

However, the General wasn't inclined on hearing it. "Penny, as I've said before, that's not the point. You..." His gaze slid across the members of Team RWBY before he coughed into one hand. "You know the rules."

"James-"

"Please, sir, it really wasn't Penny's fault." Ruby piped up, at once looking like she was prepared to stand her ground while also appearing ready to bolt for the door. Facing down some armed thugs was no problem for her little sister, but standing up to authority figures? Yeah, that was a bit of a stretch, but it seemed like the young woman wasn't going to be brushed aside easily. "Those men were trying to attack _me_. I'm sorry she got caught in the crossfire."

"While I'm sure you mean that, Miss Rose, I'm afraid I must insist that Penny remain with me for the duration or our stay." The General's mouth twitched into a more severe frown. "I'm the one responsible for her protection and she's..."

"Different?" Glancing back to her friend and teammates briefly gave her the courage to continue, silver eyes hardening like the metal they resembled. "We know, sir. It was an accident that we found out, but that's okay. Even if she's a little different, she's our friend."

Even from where she stood, Yang could see how that little bit of confirmation made the ginger's eyes light up. It didn't matter if it was only a bunch of circuits and wiring; there was emotion behind her reaction, the same as any other flesh-and-blood person the blonde had ever come across. She'd already grown a little fond of the odd young woman but that pretty much sealed the deal for Yang as she broke out in a wide grin, shoving her own jumbled feelings about how the meeting had gone thus far aside for the time being.

"Yeah, and she's a real powerhouse on her own, anyway." She pointedly ignored the muffled groans her girlfriends were trying hard to hide. "Ya know, combat ready and all that, but she's a lot of fun to hang out with, too."

"Who also takes studying more seriously than _some_ students." Weiss threw her a look that quite clearly conveyed the jab was only light teasing and not a sincere admonishment, though the blonde had a few doubts about that.

"And she should have a say in this, as well." Blake pointed out, fidgeting slightly where she stood. If Yang had to guess, it probably had more than a little to do with seeing yet another Atlesian soldier in such a short time; now that she thought about it, she probably should talk with the heiress one-on-one about how Atlas treats Faunus socially, if only to prevent any potential issues when they resumed classes with the visiting students on Monday. She wasn't kidding about not holding back the next time someone ran their mouth; she put Cardin through a bookcase for _a lot_ less.

Once again, the ginger spoke up, clasping her hands in front of her. "Please, General Ironwood. They're the first friends I've ever had. I would like to spend more time with them."

"We'll do whatever it takes to make sure nothing happens to her!" Ruby offered, concerned by how unmoved the man appeared to be, his strict posture not lessening despite their words.

"Children," Professor Ozpin said, effectively cutting off the other man's reply. "What you've just proposed is a _huge_ undertaking. While I have no doubts to Miss Polendina's abilities to protect _herself_ , accepting responsibility for another person's well-being isn't a promise to make lightly."

For a moment, her sister seemed taken aback, looking down at her boots before sending a pleading look to her teammates. Yang's eyes slid between her girlfriends before finally landing on her sister, nodding ever so slightly. It wasn't often Ruby asked something of her but, hell, she wasn't about to be intimidated. On Friday morning, she thought she'd be nursing a broken heart by now, but things somehow turned out so well for her, it would be an absolute crime to deny her own sibling the same chance at happiness, even if there were half a hundred pitfalls waiting around the corner.

They were a team; they were going to do this _together_.

"Then it's a good thing we're Huntresses, Professor." Ruby shot a her friend a smile. "This is what we signed up for: protecting people."

"Is that so?" Once again, the headmaster slid his gaze across all of them, as if weighing each one's sincerity.

To be honest, Professor Ozpin had her pegged at the start: her Huntress training was more for the thrill of the fight than to protect people. That was always Ruby's dream, not hers. However, she wasn't about to let that stand in the way now. Whatever it took, she was going to protect them: her sister, her girlfriends, and her sister's girlfriend. From _anything_.

"You're Huntresses _in training_ , I might remind you." General Ironwood severely stated, seemingly frustrated by their antics. "And I-"

"Should let them do it."

"What?" The man's dark gaze snapped to Professor Ozpin, clearly incredulous. "You can't be-"

"Serious? I actually am." The headmaster got up, his chair sliding back as he strode around his desk, cane in one hand. "James, be reasonable. While your student may be unique, she still needs friends, as all of us do. Those to lean on in trying times and those to count on when it seems we are incapable of surmounting a given task." He came to a stop in front of them, a small smile on his lips. "In light of the Vytal Festival, we should promote friendships that cross country borders, not sever them out of fear. Team RWBY is at the top of their class and- their penchant for finding trouble aside- have always acted as stellar examples of good conduct."

The blonde didn't miss the slightly severe look Professor Goodwitch threw her way. Seriously, she fell asleep in Professor Port's class one... dozen times, but, in her defense, _it was Professor Port's class_. Could anyone really blame her?

She almost rolled her eyes at the poorly concealed chuckle Blake covered with a cough.

"I- That- It's-" The General struggled to find a suitable reply before sighing, looking between them and the headmaster. "You truly believe this is a good idea?"

"Of course I do."

"Very well then." He shifted his attention to the ginger. "Penny, you may study and... hang out with Team RWBY. However, the next time I find out about you being involved in _any_ unsanctioned activity, these privileges are revoked. Do I make myself clear?"

Something in the back of Yang's mind was setting off alarm bells but there was absolutely nothing she or anyone else could do before Penny replied.

"Is kissing a sanctioned activity, sir?"

The blonde immediately slapped a hand over her mouth to hold in the laugh that was shaking her shoulders. She should've fucking known that was coming. General Ironwood stood, blinking, apparently unable to process the innocent request. Meanwhile, Ruby was trying her hardest to disappear into her cloak while Weiss and Blake held their poker faces surprisingly well, all things considered, though there was a faint twitching at the corner of their lips to hint at their own amusement.

Finally, Professor Ozpin stepped in to save them all, setting a hand on the General's shoulder. "I think kissing is just fine, Penny. However, I must advise that you don't go farther than that until you're older." His gaze flicked to meet Yang's dead on. "Say, two years? At the very least."

Oh, hello, Karma.

Whatever amusement had filled her system vacated in that very instant, heat creeping into her cheeks as there was _no_ fucking doubt what he was saying. She could see matching blushes adorning her girlfriend's features, though the heiress' stood out much more prominently against her pale skin.

"Why's that, sir?" Fuck, Penny, _stop_.

"Because the walls are too thin," the headmaster replied before gesturing towards the elevator with his cane. "Now, why don't all of you run along? I believe there's some... studying to be done today, yes?"

Yang practically teleported to the elevator, beaten only by Weiss, who used her glyphs to aid in her escape and started mashing on the call button as hard as her dainty little fingers would allow. As if that was going to make the doors open quicker but, well, she was half tempted to punch the button herself in her desire to flee.

The moment the five of them were safely inside, the blonde slumped against one wall, with Blake on her left while their girlfriend was on her right, Ruby and Penny on the other side. While the majority of them were fighting to get a handle on their embarrassment, the ginger watched them with a curious expression, as if she was on the verge of asking a question.

And then it came. "What did he mean by 'the walls are too thin'?"

Ruby shot a glare at the other side of the elevator. "Penny. Please. _Never_ ask me. _That_ question. Ever. Again."

A few moments of silence passed as they all caught their breath, the car descending slowly to the lobby below.

"Well." Weiss coughed into her hand, unable to meet her partner's gaze. "That was perfectly traumatizing."

"Absolutely horrible." The Faunus agreed, covering her face with one hand.

" _Completely_." Their team leader weakly added.

For her part, Yang couldn't fight the grin that spread across her face. "Yeah, but... we made it." Although she got three glares in response, the blonde merely shrugged. "Hey, as bad as that was, can you think of anything _worse_ happening in the immediate future?"

"The White Fang could attack again." Blake offered absently.

"A flock of Nevermores could descend upon the school," the heiress said.

"There could be a Remnant-wide cookie shortage."

"The elevator could collapse." Penny looked around pointedly. "I didn't see a maximum weight specification but my frame _is_ heavier than the average Human or Faunus."

Mentally, she congratulated everyone on their optimism.

Out loud, she just laughed. "Yeah, okay, and you know what? We'll handle all that like we did this: together." It took a nudge or two but soon, Yang found two hands clasped in hers, blue and amber eyes on her as her grin broadened. "If we can manage not dying of embarrassment, what are guns or Grimm going to do to us?"

It took a moment for the mortification to slide away, her girlfriends mirroring her expression and squeezing her hands in silent approval.

"You're right, Yang!" Ruby cheered, her energy soaring once more as she grabbed Penny's hand. "As long as we're together, no cookie shortage is going to threaten us! We're unstoppable!"

"Yeah." She laughed, feeling Weiss settle against her side while Blake took their team leader's distraction as an opportunity to sneak in a kiss to her cheek. "We really are."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, from this point, you have two choices. Either Penny's presence tagging along with Team RWBY- or, Ruby, more specifically- means that Cinder's attempt to hack into the CCT is thwarted and, thanks to the butterfly effect, the nastier events in V3 are much more manageable, averting the Fall of Beacon and allowing our triad to remain together into the next year, with Ruby and Penny perhaps continuing a long distance relationship if Penny can't transfer to Beacon.
> 
> OR everything in V2 and V3 happen essentially the same as shown in canon, regardless.
> 
> I will probably revisit this universe at a later point, because I really want to write out the movie night date and Ruby's revenge for Yang's teasing throughout this fic... but we'll see.
> 
> Anyway, thanks for all the kudos and comments and I hope you enjoyed this ridiculousness.

**Author's Note:**

> These useless lesbians will be the death of me. A big thanks to Alexlayer, twin-3, and Zearth, for encouraging this ridiculousness.


End file.
